What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot was returning from myrtle beach after a series of photography flights there. He noted a flashing tail rotor gear box chipls light, which then became steady. He initiated a precautionary landing in a field next to route US117, just north of state route 210 in the town of Rocky Point, NC. He knew the area well and knew there was a fire station on the west side of the field. He maneuvered to that side to be near it should anything happen requiring their services. He turned the aircraft to the south to align with route 117, but the pilot claims a gust of wind allowed the tail boom to contact the steel tv cable line causing the aircraft to pitch to the ground, hitting the left side of the cockpit first. The tail rotor was torn from the boom and the main rotor blades contacted the ground. There was no fire and the pilot exited without injury.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT WAS RETURNING FROM MYRTLE BEACH AFTER A SERIES OF PHOTOGRAPHY FLIGHTS THERE. HE NOTED A FLASHING TAIL ROTOR GEAR BOX CHIPLS LIGHT, WHICH THEN BECAME STEADY. HE INITIATED A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING IN A FIELD NEXT TO ROUTE US117, JUST NORTH OF STATE ROUTE 210 IN THE TOWN OF ROCKY POINT, NC. HE KNEW THE AREA WELL AND KNEW THERE WAS A FIRE STATION ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE FIELD. HE MANEUVERED TO THAT SIDE TO BE NEAR IT SHOULD ANYTHING HAPPEN REQUIRING THEIR SERVICES. HE TURNED THE AIRCRAFT TO THE SOUTH TO ALIGN WITH ROUTE 117, BUT THE PILOT CLAIMS A GUST OF WIND ALLOWED THE TAIL BOOM TO CONTACT THE STEEL TV CABLE LINE CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO PITCH TO THE GROUND, HITTING THE LEFT SIDE OF THE COCKPIT FIRST. THE TAIL ROTOR WAS TORN FROM THE BOOM AND THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES CONTACTED THE GROUND. THERE WAS NO FIRE AND THE PILOT EXITED WITHOUT INJURY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.