What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Calstar 1 was requested by orinda fire department to respond to a bicycle accident at briones park, approximately 5 miles south of Concord airport (ccr). The landing spot chosen was on top of a ridgeline with a tree on the sw side and another tree on the NE side. As the pilot came to a hover over the chosen landing spot, he began a left turn to "square up" the aircraft and at that point, heard a discernable noise change in the rotor system. After landing and normal shutdown, a quick inspection revealed outboard trailing edge damage to 3 of the four main rotor blades. Examination of the NE tree revealed a broken branch indicating contact with the rotor blades.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) CALSTAR 1 WAS REQUESTED BY ORINDA FIRE DEPARTMENT TO RESPOND TO A BICYCLE ACCIDENT AT BRIONES PARK, APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES SOUTH OF CONCORD AIRPORT (CCR). THE LANDING SPOT CHOSEN WAS ON TOP OF A RIDGELINE WITH A TREE ON THE SW SIDE AND ANOTHER TREE ON THE NE SIDE. AS THE PILOT CAME TO A HOVER OVER THE CHOSEN LANDING SPOT, HE BEGAN A LEFT TURN TO "SQUARE UP" THE AIRCRAFT AND AT THAT POINT, HEARD A DISCERNABLE NOISE CHANGE IN THE ROTOR SYSTEM. AFTER LANDING AND NORMAL SHUTDOWN, A QUICK INSPECTION REVEALED OUTBOARD TRAILING EDGE DAMAGE TO 3 OF THE FOUR MAIN ROTOR BLADES. EXAMINATION OF THE NE TREE REVEALED A BROKEN BRANCH INDICATING CONTACT WITH THE ROTOR BLADES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.