What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On 04/08/2009 at approximately 17:00 CDT N309CH, model BHT-222-B, was substantially damaged during landing on a tanker located in the Gulf Of Mexico, gom. On landing the tail rotor hit a valve assembly protruding from the deck. The aircraft turned approximately 45 degrees striking the guard rail and came to rest at that point. Damage to the aircraft included both tail rotor blades, tail rotor gear box, left horizontal stabilizer, vertical stabilizer, left and bottom aft end of the tail boom and the left side of the fuselage just aft of the main landing gear. The aircraft was being operated on a 14 CFR, part 135 flight originating form khou, houston, Texas with the destination being the motor tanker, wilana, stationed approximately 108 NM out in the gom at lat: 28:32:54N, long: 93:46:42W. The properly certificated pilot and 4 passengers were not injured.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON 04/08/2009 AT APPROXIMATELY 17:00 CDT N309CH, MODEL BHT-222-B, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING LANDING ON A TANKER LOCATED IN THE GULF OF MEXICO, GOM. ON LANDING THE TAIL ROTOR HIT A VALVE ASSEMBLY PROTRUDING FROM THE DECK. THE AIRCRAFT TURNED APPROXIMATELY 45 DEGREES STRIKING THE GUARD RAIL AND CAME TO REST AT THAT POINT. DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT INCLUDED BOTH TAIL ROTOR BLADES, TAIL ROTOR GEAR BOX, LEFT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER, VERTICAL STABILIZER, LEFT AND BOTTOM AFT END OF THE TAIL BOOM AND THE LEFT SIDE OF THE FUSELAGE JUST AFT OF THE MAIN LANDING GEAR. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED ON A 14 CFR, PART 135 FLIGHT ORIGINATING FORM KHOU, HOUSTON, TEXAS WITH THE DESTINATION BEING THE MOTOR TANKER, WILANA, STATIONED APPROXIMATELY 108 NM OUT IN THE GOM AT LAT: 28:32:54N, LONG: 93:46:42W. THE PROPERLY CERTIFICATED PILOT AND 4 PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.