What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Accident occurred on a predator eradication flight (coyote). After culling a coyote they returned to the carcass to determine status of same when at approximately twenty feet above the ground in a near hover the gear box started to make a grinding noise. A landing was then executed on a hillside. During the landing the aircraft came to rest fairly parallel to the hill side. But due to the acute angle of the hill then proceeded to roll over. This caused the damage to the tail boom, main rotor blade and fuselage. Aircraft then came to a stop on its side. At this time both occupants (wearing seat harnesses) egressed the aircraft successfully and unharmed. A small fire ensued then burnt itself out quickly.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ACCIDENT OCCURRED ON A PREDATOR ERADICATION FLIGHT (COYOTE). AFTER CULLING A COYOTE THEY RETURNED TO THE CARCASS TO DETERMINE STATUS OF SAME WHEN AT APPROXIMATELY TWENTY FEET ABOVE THE GROUND IN A NEAR HOVER THE GEAR BOX STARTED TO MAKE A GRINDING NOISE. A LANDING WAS THEN EXECUTED ON A HILLSIDE. DURING THE LANDING THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST FAIRLY PARALLEL TO THE HILL SIDE. BUT DUE TO THE ACUTE ANGLE OF THE HILL THEN PROCEEDED TO ROLL OVER. THIS CAUSED THE DAMAGE TO THE TAIL BOOM, MAIN ROTOR BLADE AND FUSELAGE. AIRCRAFT THEN CAME TO A STOP ON ITS SIDE. AT THIS TIME BOTH OCCUPANTS (WEARING SEAT HARNESSES) EGRESSED THE AIRCRAFT SUCCESSFULLY AND UNHARMED. A SMALL FIRE ENSUED THEN BURNT ITSELF OUT QUICKLY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N24SD · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.