What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
After placing an external load, the pilot descended to land in the same location he, and other pilots had landed several times previously. Near the landing zone, several days prior to this event, a pallet of concrete bags, covered with a plastic tarp had been placed for the ground contractors. Ground personnel were required to secure the tarp to the pallet with a ratchet strap, which had been done and held securely for several days prior to the event. However, on the day of the event, the ratchet strap which still appeared to be secure, had loosened and become unsecured, allowing the tarp to fly up due to rotor wash during the shut down phase and contact the tail rotor of the helicopter. The event occurred after landing and during the 30 second engine cool down period.
As the FAA filed it
AFTER PLACING AN EXTERNAL LOAD, THE PILOT DESCENDED TO LAND IN THE SAME LOCATION HE, AND OTHER PILOTS HAD LANDED SEVERAL TIMES PREVIOUSLY. NEAR THE LANDING ZONE, SEVERAL DAYS PRIOR TO THIS EVENT, A PALLET OF CONCRETE BAGS, COVERED WITH A PLASTIC TARP HAD BEEN PLACED FOR THE GROUND CONTRACTORS. GROUND PERSONNEL WERE REQUIRED TO SECURE THE TARP TO THE PALLET WITH A RATCHET STRAP, WHICH HAD BEEN DONE AND HELD SECURELY FOR SEVERAL DAYS PRIOR TO THE EVENT. HOWEVER, ON THE DAY OF THE EVENT, THE RATCHET STRAP WHICH STILL APPEARED TO BE SECURE, HAD LOOSENED AND BECOME UNSECURED, ALLOWING THE TARP TO FLY UP DUE TO ROTOR WASH DURING THE SHUT DOWN PHASE AND CONTACT THE TAIL ROTOR OF THE HELICOPTER. THE EVENT OCCURRED AFTER LANDING AND DURING THE 30 SECOND ENGINE COOL DOWN PERIOD.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.