What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Two EC-130 B4 helicopters picked up passengers at a private residence for a part 135 charter. The first helicopter, loaded more heavily than the mishap aircraft, departed uneventfully with gusty tail winds on a track close to that flown by the mishap helicopter. Winds for this period reported at kahului airport, approximately six miles away, were 060 at 17 KTS. Gusts to 26 KTS. Peak winds 050 at 33 KTS. The mishap flight attempted take-off at 1551 local time, in the same gusty tail winds, some two to four minutes after the departure of the first helicopter. The mishap helicopter was reportedly more in the downwind lee of the house. The mishap helicopter was unable to attain sufficient altitude as it approached the trees bordering the property, then turned approximately 180 degrees to the left and made an extreme hard landing, destroying the aircraft. Most serious injury: suspected hairline right arm fracture, middle-front passenger.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) TWO EC-130 B4 HELICOPTERS PICKED UP PASSENGERS AT A PRIVATE RESIDENCE FOR A PART 135 CHARTER. THE FIRST HELICOPTER, LOADED MORE HEAVILY THAN THE MISHAP AIRCRAFT, DEPARTED UNEVENTFULLY WITH GUSTY TAIL WINDS ON A TRACK CLOSE TO THAT FLOWN BY THE MISHAP HELICOPTER. WINDS FOR THIS PERIOD REPORTED AT KAHULUI AIRPORT, APPROXIMATELY SIX MILES AWAY, WERE 060 AT 17 KTS. GUSTS TO 26 KTS. PEAK WINDS 050 AT 33 KTS. THE MISHAP FLIGHT ATTEMPTED TAKE-OFF AT 1551 LOCAL TIME, IN THE SAME GUSTY TAIL WINDS, SOME TWO TO FOUR MINUTES AFTER THE DEPARTURE OF THE FIRST HELICOPTER. THE MISHAP HELICOPTER WAS REPORTEDLY MORE IN THE DOWNWIND LEE OF THE HOUSE. THE MISHAP HELICOPTER WAS UNABLE TO ATTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE AS IT APPROACHED THE TREES BORDERING THE PROPERTY, THEN TURNED APPROXIMATELY 180 DEGREES TO THE LEFT AND MADE AN EXTREME HARD LANDING, DESTROYING THE AIRCRAFT. MOST SERIOUS INJURY: SUSPECTED HAIRLINE RIGHT ARM FRACTURE, MIDDLE-FRONT 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.