What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) At approximately 0830 hours on July 16, 2007, at location 15.5 miles northwest of the island park reservoir, on the Montana side of the montana/idaho state line, while conducting a helicopter external load operation, the pilot was back-hauling an empty bag within a cargo net to pick up 5 foot steel angle iron. During the flight, the external load swung back and contacted the aircraft tail rotor. The pilot experienced heavy vibrations, noise and a yaw. He entered autorotation to a small clearing. Just prior to landing the aircraft started to spin. After touchdown, the pilot exited the aircraft through the right side windshield. A small fire started at the engine exhaust stack on the right side of the aircraft. The pilot was able to extinguish the fire with the aircraft's fire extinguisher.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AT APPROXIMATELY 0830 HOURS ON JULY 16, 2007, AT LOCATION 15.5 MILES NORTHWEST OF THE ISLAND PARK RESERVOIR, ON THE MONTANA SIDE OF THE MONTANA/IDAHO STATE LINE, WHILE CONDUCTING A HELICOPTER EXTERNAL LOAD OPERATION, THE PILOT WAS BACK-HAULING AN EMPTY BAG WITHIN A CARGO NET TO PICK UP 5 FOOT STEEL ANGLE IRON. DURING THE FLIGHT, THE EXTERNAL LOAD SWUNG BACK AND CONTACTED THE AIRCRAFT TAIL ROTOR. THE PILOT EXPERIENCED HEAVY VIBRATIONS, NOISE AND A YAW. HE ENTERED AUTOROTATION TO A SMALL CLEARING. JUST PRIOR TO LANDING THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TO SPIN. AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE PILOT EXITED THE AIRCRAFT THROUGH THE RIGHT SIDE WINDSHIELD. A SMALL FIRE STARTED AT THE ENGINE EXHAUST STACK ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE WITH THE AIRCRAFT'S FIRE EXTINGUISHER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.