What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On 4/06/2006, approx 1550 adt, a Eurocopter AS-350-BA helicopter, N209CH, sustained substantial damage when, while in hovering flight, its main rotor blades struck the top of a small tree during landing on talsani island, Alaska. The coastal helicopters inc aircraft was being operated as a VFR, on-demand, charter under title 14 CFR part 135. The ATP certificate pilot and two passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and VFR company flight following procedures were in effect. The pilot stated that during landing at the FAR end of a large lz and just before touchdown, the main rotor blades struck the top of a small tree. The pilot said that he visually inspected each blade and discovered only green transfer stains from the tree and no other visible damage. When inspected by a company mechanic upon return to the juneau airport, damage was discovered. The damage, although not visible to the naked eye, could be detected by a careful tactile inspection and exceeded the criteria in the maintenance manual. The director of maintenance indicated that the rotor blades could not be repaired at his facility, and were being sent to a blade repair facility.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON 4/06/2006, APPROX 1550 ADT, A EUROCOPTER AS-350-BA HELICOPTER, N209CH, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN, WHILE IN HOVERING FLIGHT, ITS MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRUCK THE TOP OF A SMALL TREE DURING LANDING ON TALSANI ISLAND, ALASKA. THE COASTAL HELICOPTERS INC AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED AS A VFR, ON-DEMAND, CHARTER UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 135. THE ATP CERTIFICATE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND VFR COMPANY FLIGHT FOLLOWING PROCEDURES WERE IN EFFECT. THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING LANDING AT THE FAR END OF A LARGE LZ AND JUST BEFORE TOUCHDOWN, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRUCK THE TOP OF A SMALL TREE. THE PILOT SAID THAT HE VISUALLY INSPECTED EACH BLADE AND DISCOVERED ONLY GREEN TRANSFER STAINS FROM THE TREE AND NO OTHER VISIBLE DAMAGE. WHEN INSPECTED BY A COMPANY MECHANIC UPON RETURN TO THE JUNEAU AIRPORT, DAMAGE WAS DISCOVERED. THE DAMAGE, ALTHOUGH NOT VISIBLE TO THE NAKED EYE, COULD BE DETECTED BY A CAREFUL TACTILE INSPECTION AND EXCEEDED THE CRITERIA IN THE MAINTENANCE MANUAL. THE DIRECTOR OF MAINTENANCE INDICATED THAT THE ROTOR BLADES COULD NOT BE REPAIRED AT HIS FACILITY, AND WERE BEING SENT TO A BLADE REPAIR FACILITY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.