What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) According to the pilot in command he was conducting agricultural aircraft operations, 12 se of kpub. He moved his lz to an area in a canyon. His first load was normal with a slight wind blowing from up canyon so he departed uphill and up canyon. On his second load the wind was calm according to the wind indicator on his truck. He elected to depart downhill and down canyon. During his takeoff the wind gusted from up canyon to about 15 KTS. The resulting tail wind caused the helicopter to settle to the ground. During the touchdown the tail stinger and skid gear made contact with the ground, then the aircraft yawed and the skid gear collapsed causing substantial damage to the tail boom and associated structure. There were no injuries. Pilot stated he misjudged the wind.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ACCORDING TO THE PILOT IN COMMAND HE WAS CONDUCTING AGRICULTURAL AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS, 12 SE OF KPUB. HE MOVED HIS LZ TO AN AREA IN A CANYON. HIS FIRST LOAD WAS NORMAL WITH A SLIGHT WIND BLOWING FROM UP CANYON SO HE DEPARTED UPHILL AND UP CANYON. ON HIS SECOND LOAD THE WIND WAS CALM ACCORDING TO THE WIND INDICATOR ON HIS TRUCK. HE ELECTED TO DEPART DOWNHILL AND DOWN CANYON. DURING HIS TAKEOFF THE WIND GUSTED FROM UP CANYON TO ABOUT 15 KTS. THE RESULTING TAIL WIND CAUSED THE HELICOPTER TO SETTLE TO THE GROUND. DURING THE TOUCHDOWN THE TAIL STINGER AND SKID GEAR MADE CONTACT WITH THE GROUND, THEN THE AIRCRAFT YAWED AND THE SKID GEAR COLLAPSED CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE TAIL BOOM AND ASSOCIATED STRUCTURE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. PILOT STATED HE MISJUDGED THE WIND.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.