What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot flew approach to snow field/glacier landing. While lowering the helicopter into the soft, deep snow for landing, the tail rotor contacted the snow causing a vibration. The pilot shut down the helicopter and upon inspection discovered the tail rotor blades had been separated from the tail rotor drive.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT FLEW APPROACH TO SNOW FIELD/GLACIER LANDING. WHILE LOWERING THE HELICOPTER INTO THE SOFT, DEEP SNOW FOR LANDING, THE TAIL ROTOR CONTACTED THE SNOW CAUSING A VIBRATION. THE PILOT SHUT DOWN THE HELICOPTER AND UPON INSPECTION DISCOVERED THE TAIL ROTOR BLADES HAD BEEN SEPARATED FROM THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.