What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot accomplished a toe in approach and landing to a rock ledge approximately 550 above the terrain to allow a rescue person with equipment to board the helicopter. After liftoff from the rock ledge, the helicopter entered a steep nose down attitude and rapidly lost altitude. The pilot was unable to control the descent subsequently striking the ground and shearing the gear and vertical fin from the helicopter. The helicopter, with loss of tail rotor and gear, remained airborne and was then landed and rolled onto its left side.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT ACCOMPLISHED A TOE IN APPROACH AND LANDING TO A ROCK LEDGE APPROXIMATELY 550 ABOVE THE TERRAIN TO ALLOW A RESCUE PERSON WITH EQUIPMENT TO BOARD THE HELICOPTER.AFTER LIFTOFF FROM THE ROCK LEDGE, THE HELICOPTER ENTERED A STEEP NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE AND RAPIDLY LOST ALTITUDE. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL THE DESCENT SUBSEQUENTLY STRIKING THE GROUND AND SHEARING THE GEAR AND VERTICAL FIN FROM THE HELICOPTER. THE HELICOPTER, WITH LOSS OF TAIL ROTOR AND GEAR, REMAINED AIRBORNE AND WAS THEN LANDED AND ROLLED ONTO ITS LEFT SIDE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.