What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot in-command elected to land in an area not suitable for touchdown and attempted to position the back of the skids on a log. After approximately two minutes the helicopter vibration caused an uncommanded reposition of the landing gear on the log causing the helicopter to tip backward until the tail rotor contacted the surface and caused substantial damage.
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT IN-COMMAND ELECTED TO LAND IN AN AREA NOT SUITABLE FOR TOUCHDOWN AND ATTEMPTED TO POSITION THE BACK OF THE SKIDS ON A LOG. AFTER APPROXIMATELY TWO MINUTES THE HELICOPTER VIBRATION CAUSED AN UNCOMMANDED REPOSITION OF THE LANDING GEAR ON THE LOG CAUSING THE HELICOPTER TO TIP BACKWARD UNTIL THE TAIL ROTOR CONTACTED THE SURFACE AND CAUSED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.