What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The pilot/owner with his wife on-board intended to make a flight for pleasure from the boat to page, AZ. During lift-off the helicopter rolled over on the roof. The helicopter was secured to the roof-top helipad by a tie-down strap attached to each corner of the landing gear/floats. The pilot stated that for some unexplainable reason he had forgotten to untie the left rear tie-down. As he was attempting to depart after coming to a hover he quickly noticed that something was wrong. He initially thought he was having a tail-rotor failure because the aircraft was turning left without his input to do so and so he rolled the throttle off. This action was too late and the aircraft experienced dynamic roll-over at some time during the departure sequence. The aircraft remained on the roof.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE PILOT/OWNER WITH HIS WIFE ON-BOARD INTENDED TO MAKE A FLIGHT FOR PLEASURE FROM THE BOAT TO PAGE, AZ. DURING LIFT-OFF THE HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER ON THE ROOF. THE HELICOPTER WAS SECURED TO THE ROOF-TOP HELIPAD BY A TIE-DOWN STRAP ATTACHED TO EACH CORNER OF THE LANDING GEAR/FLOATS. THE PILOT STATED THAT FOR SOME UNEXPLAINABLE REASON HE HAD FORGOTTEN TO UNTIE THE LEFT REAR TIE-DOWN. AS HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO DEPART AFTER COMING TO A HOVER HE QUICKLY NOTICED THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG. HE INITIALLY THOUGHT HE WAS HAVING A TAIL-ROTOR FAILURE BECAUSE THE AIRCRAFT WAS TURNING LEFT WITHOUT HIS INPUT TO DO SO AND SO HE ROLLED THE THROTTLE OFF. THIS ACTION WAS TOO LATE AND THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED DYNAMIC ROLL-OVER AT SOME TIME DURING THE DEPARTURE SEQUENCE. THE AIRCRAFT REMAINED ON THE ROOF.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.