What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft was pointed west on helipad, and upon lift-off, the pilot states that he "began a slow climb and left pedal turn in order to point the aircraft toward the southeast." As he vertically cleared a tree that was directly east of the pad (approx. 100 feet AGL), he began "a slow transition to forward flight" at which time he "immediately heard a loud bang," followed by "several alarms," and an instrument panel which he "noticed that everything was red." As the pilot pulled back on the collective in an attempt to reduce the rate of descent, the aircraft impacted the helipad, destroying the aircraft and causing serious injuries to the pilot, flight nurse and paramedic. Initial on site investigation revealed no anomalies with the airframe or engine. Subsequent inspection and test cell run of the engine was satisfactory. Aircraft vemd memory showed that the flight lasted about three minutes, and before engine shut down, there were no failures or overlimits. Flight nurse and paramedic stated that they did not recall hearing a "bang" during the chain of events leading to the accident. At this time, the cause of the accident is unknown.
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT WAS POINTED WEST ON HELIPAD, AND UPON LIFT-OFF, THE PILOT STATES THAT HE "BEGAN A SLOW CLIMB AND LEFT PEDAL TURN IN ORDER TO POINT THE AIRCRAFT TOWARD THE SOUTHEAST." AS HE VERTICALLY CLEARED A TREE THAT WAS DIRECTLY EAST OF THE PAD (APPROX. 100 FEET AGL), HE BEGAN "A SLOW TRANSITION TO FORWARD FLIGHT" AT WHICH TIME HE "IMMEDIATELY HEARD A LOUD BANG," FOLLOWED BY "SEVERAL ALARMS," AND AN INSTRUMENT PANEL WHICH HE "NOTICED THAT EVERYTHING WAS RED." AS THE PILOT PULLED BACK ON THE COLLECTIVE IN AN ATTEMPT TO REDUCE THE RATE OF DESCENT, THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE HELIPAD, DESTROYING THE AIRCRAFT AND CAUSING SERIOUS INJURIES TO THE PILOT, FLIGHT NURSE AND PARAMEDIC. INITIAL ON SITE INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO ANOMALIES WITH THE AIRFRAME OR ENGINE. SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION AND TEST CELL RUN OF THE ENGINE WAS SATISFACTORY. AIRCRAFT VEMD MEMORY SHOWED THAT THE FLIGHT LASTED ABOUT THREE MINUTES, AND BEFORE ENGINE SHUT DOWN, THERE WERE NO FAILURES OR OVERLIMITS. FLIGHT NURSE AND PARAMEDIC STATED THAT THEY DID NOT RECALL HEARING A "BANG" DURING THE CHAIN OF EVENTS LEADING TO THE ACCIDENT. AT THIS TIME, THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT IS UNKNOWN.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.