What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) While aerial tranquilizing of moose for tagging, aircraft was following the drugged moose while the drugs took effect. Moose reared up and reversed direction under helicopter contacting the tail rotor. Pilot autorotated down to an upright skid landing without tail rotor control. Tail boom and tail were broken free of aircraft after main rotor hitting tailboom and hard landing to ground. No injuries to pilot or passenger.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) WHILE AERIAL TRANQUILIZING OF MOOSE FOR TAGGING, AIRCRAFT WAS FOLLOWING THE DRUGGED MOOSE WHILE THE DRUGS TOOK EFFECT. MOOSE REARED UP AND REVERSED DIRECTION UNDER HELICOPTER CONTACTING THE TAIL ROTOR. PILOT AUTOROTATED DOWN TO AN UPRIGHT SKID LANDING WITHOUT TAIL ROTOR CONTROL. TAIL BOOM AND TAIL WERE BROKEN FREE OF AIRCRAFT AFTER MAIN ROTOR HITTING TAILBOOM AND HARD LANDING TO GROUND. NO INJURIES TO PILOT OR PASSENGER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.