What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The helicopter was conducting a filming operation through a canyon, operating in close proximity to the terrain. During the flight the aircraft encountered gusty wind conditions. The wind conditions reduced the control effectiveness of the tail rotor, causing the aircraft to yaw right. The pilot-in-command made a control input to counter the right yaw and attempted to increase airspeed. As this corrective action was being taken the aircraft was descending and nearing the terrain of the canyon wall. The aircraft became oriented in a downwind condition, further compromising tail rotor effectiveness. As the aircraft yawed right the tail rotor came into contact with a tree, resulting in a loss of control of the helicopter.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE HELICOPTER WAS CONDUCTING A FILMING OPERATION THROUGH A CANYON, OPERATING IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE TERRAIN. DURING THE FLIGHT THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED GUSTY WIND CONDITIONS. THE WIND CONDITIONS REDUCED THE CONTROL EFFECTIVENESS OF THE TAIL ROTOR, CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO YAW RIGHT. THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND MADE A CONTROL INPUT TO COUNTER THE RIGHT YAW AND ATTEMPTED TO INCREASE AIRSPEED. AS THIS CORRECTIVE ACTION WAS BEING TAKEN THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESCENDING AND NEARING THE TERRAIN OF THE CANYON WALL. THE AIRCRAFT BECAME ORIENTED IN A DOWNWIND CONDITION, FURTHER COMPROMISING TAIL ROTOR EFFECTIVENESS. AS THE AIRCRAFT YAWED RIGHT THE TAIL ROTOR CAME INTO CONTACT WITH A TREE, RESULTING IN A LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.