What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On February 22, 2009 at about 1955 MST, a Eurocopter as 350 B2, N353P registered/operated by phi inc, (heea) was substantially damaged during a hard landing while landing in a dirty parking lot. The pilot and crew (2) stated that upon entering the landing zone (lz) the pilot asked ground fire crew if the area of the lz was wet, the crew stated that they were informed that the lz was damp. The pilot stated that high reconnaissance of the lz was conducted. The pilot and one crew member were wearing night vision goggles (NVG). The pilot stated that upon entering the lz at approximately 30 feet AGL they picked up a little dust, at approximately 15-20 feet AGL they hit a "brown-out". The pilot stated that he reduced power to get to the ground quicker and at approximately 10 feet AGL lost references through the nvg's. the pilot stated that upon after contacting the ground they had drifted 15 feet closer to the fire truck and office building. Neither the crew member wearing NVG nor the pilot called out suggesting to abort the landing. The pilot stated that the taxi light and search light were on and indicated that the search light was projecting light at or about the pilot's 1:00 to 3:00 position.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON FEBRUARY 22, 2009 AT ABOUT 1955 MST, A EUROCOPTER AS 350 B2, N353P REGISTERED/OPERATED BY PHI INC, (HEEA) WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING A HARD LANDING WHILE LANDING IN A DIRTY PARKING LOT. THE PILOT AND CREW (2) STATED THAT UPON ENTERING THE LANDING ZONE (LZ) THE PILOT ASKED GROUND FIRE CREW IF THE AREA OF THE LZ WAS WET, THE CREW STATED THAT THEY WERE INFORMED THAT THE LZ WAS DAMP. THE PILOT STATED THAT HIGH RECONNAISSANCE OF THE LZ WAS CONDUCTED. THE PILOT AND ONE CREW MEMBER WERE WEARING NIGHT VISION GOGGLES (NVG). THE PILOT STATED THAT UPON ENTERING THE LZ AT APPROXIMATELY 30 FEET AGL THEY PICKED UP A LITTLE DUST, AT APPROXIMATELY 15-20 FEET AGL THEY HIT A "BROWN-OUT". THE PILOT STATED THAT HE REDUCED POWER TO GET TO THE GROUND QUICKER AND AT APPROXIMATELY 10 FEET AGL LOST REFERENCES THROUGH THE NVG'S. THE PILOT STATED THAT UPON AFTER CONTACTING THE GROUND THEY HAD DRIFTED 15 FEET CLOSER TO THE FIRE TRUCK AND OFFICE BUILDING. NEITHER THE CREW MEMBER WEARING NVG NOR THE PILOT CALLED OUT SUGGESTING TO ABORT THE LANDING. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE TAXI LIGHT AND SEARCH LIGHT WERE ON AND INDICATED THAT THE SEARCH LIGHT WAS PROJECTING LIGHT AT OR ABOUT THE PILOT'S 1:00 TO 3:00 POSITION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.