What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
During a manuever in an almond orchard, the pilot flew the aircraft from a cross wind direction to a downwind direction during a manuever in an almond orchard, the pilot flew the aircraft from a cross wind direction to a downwind direction and allowed the aircraft to settle into the almond trees. The rotor blades struck the trees and the aircraft was substantially damaged. The tail rotor was broken off, the fuselage was buckled and the main rotor blades were substantially damaged. The aircraft records were reviewed and the aircraft was found be within a current annual inspection. The pilots flight and medical records were reviewed and he was found to be properly medically certificated. His flight review was current. He was appropriately certificated for the flight.
As the FAA filed it
DURING A MANUEVER IN AN ALMOND ORCHARD, THE PILOT FLEW THE AIRCRAFT FROM A CROSS WIND DIRECTION TO A DOWNWIND DIRECTION DURING A MANUEVER IN AN ALMOND ORCHARD, THE PILOT FLEW THE AIRCRAFT FROM A CROSS WIND DIRECTION TO A DOWNWIND DIRECTION AND ALLOWED THE AIRCRAFT TO SETTLE INTO THE ALMOND TREES. THE ROTOR BLADES STRUCK THE TREES AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE TAIL ROTOR WAS BROKEN OFF, THE FUSELAGE WAS BUCKLED AND THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES WERE SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE AIRCRAFT RECORDS WERE REVIEWED AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS FOUND BE WITHIN A CURRENT ANNUAL INSPECTION. THE PILOTS FLIGHT AND MEDICAL RECORDS WERE REVIEWED AND HE WAS FOUND TO BE PROPERLY MEDICALLY CERTIFICATED. HIS FLIGHT REVIEW WAS CURRENT. HE WAS APPROPRIATELY CERTIFICATED FOR THE FLIGHT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N236HA · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.