What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot was attempting to sling load fire fighting equipment out of a remote heli-site in a burned area. The heli-site had been unapproachable for several days due to smoke. During takeoff, smoke quickly entered area and pilot lost visual references. Helicopter settled into burnt timber 400 feet north of, and 300 feet in elevation below, lift-off site. Sling load was not released. Pilot was uninjured until he removed his helmet during evacuation, then he sustained minor cuts/punctures to the face from tree branches in a rush to get away from helicopter. Helicopter tail rotor was first to contact ground in downslope flight. Tail boom separated from fuselage. One main rotor severed a tree and separated mid span, the other was cracked. No mechanical problems were noted by pilot, witnesses on the ground or forest service safety team investigation.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO SLING LOAD FIRE FIGHTING EQUIPMENT OUT OF A REMOTE HELI-SITE IN A BURNED AREA. THE HELI-SITE HAD BEEN UNAPPROACHABLE FOR SEVERAL DAYS DUE TO SMOKE. DURING TAKEOFF, SMOKE QUICKLY ENTERED AREA AND PILOT LOST VISUAL REFERENCES. HELICOPTER SETTLED INTO BURNT TIMBER 400 FEET NORTH OF, AND 300 FEET IN ELEVATION BELOW, LIFT-OFF SITE. SLING LOAD WAS NOT RELEASED. PILOT WAS UNINJURED UNTIL HE REMOVED HIS HELMET DURING EVACUATION, THEN HE SUSTAINED MINOR CUTS/PUNCTURES TO THE FACE FROM TREE BRANCHES IN A RUSH TO GET AWAY FROM HELICOPTER. HELICOPTER TAIL ROTOR WAS FIRST TO CONTACT GROUND IN DOWNSLOPE FLIGHT. TAIL BOOM SEPARATED FROM FUSELAGE. ONE MAIN ROTOR SEVERED A TREE AND SEPARATED MID SPAN, THE OTHER WAS CRACKED. NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WERE NOTED BY PILOT, WITNESSES ON THE GROUND OR FOREST SERVICE SAFETY TEAM INVESTIGATION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.