From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot stated he did a pre flight inspection per the operator's manual, loaded his passenger for the purpose of pasture count of deer on hunting leases. On the fourth pass on the pasture counts flying slow and low went to make a turn and lost tail authority, spun around and hit the ground hard. The pilot and passenger received serious injuries.a field inspection at the accident site revealed that the tail rotor gears were striped. There was no indication of any oil or lubrication in the tail housing when gear box was separated.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT STATED HE DID A PRE FLIGHT INSPECTION PER THE OPERATOR'S MANUAL, LOADED HIS PASSENGER FOR THE PURPOSE OF PASTURE COUNT OF DEER ON HUNTING LEASES. ON THE FOURTH PASS ON THE PASTURE COUNTS FLYING SLOW AND LOW WENT TO MAKE A TURN AND LOST TAIL AUTHORITY, SPUN AROUND AND HIT THE GROUND HARD. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES.A FIELD INSPECTION AT THE ACCIDENT SITE REVEALED THAT THE TAIL ROTOR GEARS WERE STRIPED. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF ANY OIL OR LUBRICATION IN THE TAIL HOUSING WHEN GEAR BOX WAS SEPARATED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.