What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot was operating helicopter to load it on a tow trailer. Witness stated the helicopter was about to touchdown on the trailer surface, it began a slow drift backwards. As the aircraft drifted backwards, the nose started to climb and the tail dropped making contact with the ramp causing the aircraft to pivot to the right. The main blades made contact with the ground and the aircraft subsequently came apart. The pilot was airlifted to a trauma center in serious condition.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT WAS OPERATING HELICOPTER TO LOAD IT ON A TOW TRAILER. WITNESS STATED THE HELICOPTER WAS ABOUT TO TOUCHDOWN ON THE TRAILER SURFACE, IT BEGAN A SLOW DRIFT BACKWARDS. AS THE AIRCRAFT DRIFTED BACKWARDS, THE NOSE STARTED TO CLIMB AND THE TAIL DROPPED MAKING CONTACT WITH THE RAMP CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO PIVOT TO THE RIGHT. THE MAIN BLADES MADE CONTACT WITH THE GROUND AND THE AIRCRAFT SUBSEQUENTLY CAME APART. THE PILOT WAS AIRLIFTED TO A TRAUMA CENTER IN SERIOUS CONDITION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.