What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On February 25, 2012 pilot privacy data omitted had a hard landing while piloting helicopter N118MB while working for mountain air helicopters on the san diego gas and electric sunrise powerlink project. privacy data omitted Stated that while on approach during a helicopter repositioning flight without any passengers on board, a moderate amount of wind vortices caused the helicopter to settle into the ground. The helicopter contacted the surface, bounced once, and came to rest upright a few feet ahead of the initial contact point. privacy data omitted Had just unboarded passengers working on the san diego gas and electric sunrise powerlink project and was in the final stages of a repositioning flight when the accident occurred at an off airport landing site in the dessert area of east county san diego. As a result, the helicopter tail boom was partially severed at the tail cone attaching point, however the tail rotor did not contact the ground . The left portion of the landing gear had also partially collapsed as a result of the impact. privacy data omitted Exited the helicopter without injury and surveyed the damage. When he realized that further flight was not safe, he contacted mountain air helicopters dispatch for assistance. The helicopter was then transported back to gillespie field airport in El Cajon CA and stored at blackhawk helicopters.
As the FAA filed it
ON FEBRUARY 25, 2012 PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ HAD A HARD LANDING WHILE PILOTING HELICOPTER N118MB WHILE WORKING FOR MOUNTAIN AIR HELICOPTERS ON THE SAN DIEGO GAS AND ELECTRIC SUNRISE POWERLINK PROJECT. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED THAT WHILE ON APPROACH DURING A HELICOPTER REPOSITIONING FLIGHT WITHOUT ANY PASSENGERS ON BOARD, A MODERATE AMOUNT OF WIND VORTICES CAUSED THE HELICOPTER TO SETTLE INTO THE GROUND. THE HELICOPTER CONTACTED THE SURFACE, BOUNCED ONCE, AND CAME TO REST UPRIGHT A FEW FEET AHEAD OF THE INITIAL CONTACT POINT. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ HAD JUST UNBOARDED PASSENGERS WORKING ON THE SAN DIEGO GAS AND ELECTRIC SUNRISE POWERLINK PROJECT AND WAS IN THE FINAL STAGES OF A REPOSITIONING FLIGHT WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED AT AN OFF AIRPORT LANDING SITE IN THE DESSERT AREA OF EAST COUNTY SAN DIEGO. AS A RESULT, THE HELICOPTER TAIL BOOM WAS PARTIALLY SEVERED AT THE TAIL CONE ATTACHING POINT, HOWEVER THE TAIL ROTOR DID NOT CONTACT THE GROUND . THE LEFT PORTION OF THE LANDING GEAR HAD ALSO PARTIALLY COLLAPSED AS A RESULT OF THE IMPACT. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ EXITED THE HELICOPTER WITHOUT INJURY AND SURVEYED THE DAMAGE. WHEN HE REALIZED THAT FURTHER FLIGHT WAS NOT SAFE, HE CONTACTED MOUNTAIN AIR HELICOPTERS DISPATCH FOR ASSISTANCE. THE HELICOPTER WAS THEN TRANSPORTED BACK TO GILLESPIE FIELD AIRPORT IN EL CAJON CA AND STORED AT BLACKHAWK HELICOPTERS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.