What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The helicopter was operating in mountainous terrain under contract to the state of California department of fish and game conducting low level wildlife surveillance. The pilot reported that he was at an approximate altitude of 30' to 50' above ground level when he made a right turn towards rising terrain and encountered sudden bright sunlight directly into his eyes. This caused him to lose orientation with terrain and he struck an oak tree with the main rotor. The helicopter came to a rest inverted on the side of the hill and the pilot and two passengers (wild life biologist and a deer tagger) were able to egress with minor injuries. The main rotor was destroyed and the aircraft had substantial damage.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE HELICOPTER WAS OPERATING IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN UNDER CONTRACT TO THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME CONDUCTING LOW LEVEL WILDLIFE SURVEILLANCE. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS AT AN APPROXIMATE ALTITUDE OF 30' TO 50' ABOVE GROUND LEVEL WHEN HE MADE A RIGHT TURN TOWARDS RISING TERRAIN AND ENCOUNTERED SUDDEN BRIGHT SUNLIGHT DIRECTLY INTO HIS EYES. THIS CAUSED HIM TO LOSE ORIENTATION WITH TERRAIN AND HE STRUCK AN OAK TREE WITH THE MAIN ROTOR. THE HELICOPTER CAME TO A REST INVERTED ON THE SIDE OF THE HILL AND THE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS (WILD LIFE BIOLOGIST AND A DEER TAGGER) WERE ABLE TO EGRESS WITH MINOR INJURIES. THE MAIN ROTOR WAS DESTROYED AND THE AIRCRAFT HAD SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.