What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The pilot privacy data omitted departed wasilla for Merrill Field, Anchorage, AK, at approximately 0715 ast. The weather was reported as 1800 sct, 4000 ovc, -ra, vis 3-4 mi. ATIS also reported a working crane on the field below 500 feet. The pilot requested the ship creek arrival and after reporting ship creek he was cleared to land. On approach to the taxiway at approximately 30 feet altitude, the pilot saw a light pole in the left chin bubble. The pilot took corrective action by coming up on the collective and back on the cyclic, but the helicopter struck the light pole damaging the left chin bubble and left forward fuselage. The helicopter landed without further incident and there were no injuries.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DEPARTED WASILLA FOR MERRILL FIELD, ANCHORAGE, AK, AT APPROXIMATELY 0715 AST. THE WEATHER WAS REPORTED AS 1800 SCT, 4000 OVC, -RA, VIS 3-4 MI. ATIS ALSO REPORTED A WORKING CRANE ON THE FIELD BELOW 500 FEET. THE PILOT REQUESTED THE SHIP CREEK ARRIVAL AND AFTER REPORTING SHIP CREEK HE WAS CLEARED TO LAND. ON APPROACH TO THE TAXIWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 30 FEET ALTITUDE, THE PILOT SAW A LIGHT POLE IN THE LEFT CHIN BUBBLE. THE PILOT TOOK CORRECTIVE ACTION BY COMING UP ON THE COLLECTIVE AND BACK ON THE CYCLIC, BUT THE HELICOPTER STRUCK THE LIGHT POLE DAMAGING THE LEFT CHIN BUBBLE AND LEFT FORWARD FUSELAGE. THE HELICOPTER LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.