What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On October 24, 2007, at approximately 1345 CST, a Robinson R44 helicopter, N744RG, sustained substantial damage upon landing after the helicopter began to rock fore and aft causing the pilot to lose control. Neither the pilot nor the three passengers were injured. The aircraft was on a flight over a local ranch with the ranch owner, manager, and a wildlife biologist. The passengers were counting deer. The pilot was hovering above a deer at about fifty feet when he said the helicopter began to move fore and aft. The pilot reported that the cyclic felt stiff. The movements got progressively worse and he lost control, landed hard, and the helicopter rolled onto its side. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. No flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR part 91 flight.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON OCTOBER 24, 2007, AT APPROXIMATELY 1345 CST, A ROBINSON R44 HELICOPTER, N744RG, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE UPON LANDING AFTER THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO ROCK FORE AND AFT CAUSING THE PILOT TO LOSE CONTROL. NEITHER THE PILOT NOR THE THREE PASSENGERS WERE INJURED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON A FLIGHT OVER A LOCAL RANCH WITH THE RANCH OWNER, MANAGER, AND A WILDLIFE BIOLOGIST. THE PASSENGERS WERE COUNTING DEER. THE PILOT WAS HOVERING ABOVE A DEER AT ABOUT FIFTY FEET WHEN HE SAID THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO MOVE FORE AND AFT. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE CYCLIC FELT STIFF. THE MOVEMENTS GOT PROGRESSIVELY WORSE AND HE LOST CONTROL, LANDED HARD, AND THE HELICOPTER ROLLED ONTO ITS SIDE. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE 14 CFR PART 91 FLIGHT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.