What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The pilot was performing long line seismic work on a job just east of Iraan, Texas. He accidentally dropped an extra bag on one of the drops. He landed to reattach the bag. His landing site was on a slope, while he was out of the helicopter trying to reattach the longline the helicopter slid back on the slope, tilting nose up and striking the tail. The gearbox and tail section broke away from the tail boom. The pilot managed to get on board and shut down the helicopter.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE PILOT WAS PERFORMING LONG LINE SEISMIC WORK ON A JOB JUST EAST OF IRAAN, TEXAS. HE ACCIDENTALLY DROPPED AN EXTRA BAG ON ONE OF THE DROPS. HE LANDED TO REATTACH THE BAG. HIS LANDING SITE WAS ON A SLOPE, WHILE HE WAS OUT OF THE HELICOPTER TRYING TO REATTACH THE LONGLINE THE HELICOPTER SLID BACK ON THE SLOPE, TILTING NOSE UP AND STRIKING THE TAIL. THE GEARBOX AND TAIL SECTION BROKE AWAY FROM THE TAIL BOOM. THE PILOT MANAGED TO GET ON BOARD AND SHUT DOWN THE HELICOPTER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N601GM · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.