What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 12/22/2010 at approx 2000 UTC helicopter N841SA, a Robinson R-44 ii with two persons aboard attempted to hover prior to takeoff from the shoreline of a lake. During hover immediately after liftoff, the aircraft turned violently to the right. This spinning andpitching allowed the tail rotor to strike the ground causing the aircraft to pitch and roll out of control and eventually come to rest on the aircrafts left side in 3 to 4 feet of water. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, main rotor blades, rotor mast, tail boom and tail rotor. Both occupants sustained minor injury. Investigation at the scene found the gov circuit breaker was tripped.
As the FAA filed it
ON 12/22/2010 AT APPROX 2000 UTC HELICOPTER N841SA, A ROBINSON R-44 II WITH TWO PERSONS ABOARD ATTEMPTED TO HOVER PRIOR TO TAKEOFF FROM THE SHORELINE OF A LAKE.DURING HOVER IMMEDIATELY AFTER LIFTOFF, THE AIRCRAFT TURNED VIOLENTLY TO THE RIGHT. THIS SPINNING ANDPITCHING ALLOWED THE TAIL ROTOR TO STRIKE THE GROUND CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO PITCH AND ROLL OUT OF CONTROL AND EVENTUALLY COME TO REST ON THE AIRCRAFTS LEFT SIDE IN 3 TO 4 FEET OF WATER.THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE FUSELAGE, MAIN ROTOR BLADES, ROTOR MAST, TAIL BOOM AND TAIL ROTOR.BOTH OCCUPANTS SUSTAINED MINOR INJURY.INVESTIGATION AT THE SCENE FOUND THE GOV CIRCUIT BREAKER WAS TRIPPED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.