What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot stated that during take-off at an altitude of 20 feet AGL, he heard a loud bang in the tail rotor area then he began to spin to the right then rolled approximately two (2) times and came to rest upright with the tail boom missing from the main fuselage, and broken windshield.
Investigation showed signs that the helicopter forward landing gear struts had contacted a cable, the complete tail boom section was separated from the main fuselage. However the tail rotor system, transmission, tail rotor blades and associated parts/linkages, was intact and approximately 15 feet of the main wreckage.
Broken cables and a (trolley system) were found at the accident site, the cables were pulled in the direction toward the helicopter.
Pilot had minor injuries; passenger was reported to have broken ribs.
Aircraft sustained major damage.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT STATED THAT DURING TAKE-OFF AT AN ALTITUDE OF 20 FEET AGL, HE HEARD A LOUD BANG IN THE TAIL ROTOR AREA THEN HE BEGAN TO SPIN TO THE RIGHT THEN ROLLED APPROXIMATELY TWO (2) TIMES AND CAME TO REST UPRIGHT WITH THE TAIL BOOM MISSING FROM THE MAIN FUSELAGE, AND BROKEN WINDSHIELD.
INVESTIGATION SHOWED SIGNS THAT THE HELICOPTER FORWARD LANDING GEAR STRUTS HAD CONTACTED A CABLE, THE COMPLETE TAIL BOOM SECTION WAS SEPARATED FROM THE MAIN FUSELAGE. HOWEVER THE TAIL ROTOR SYSTEM, TRANSMISSION, TAIL ROTOR BLADES AND ASSOCIATED PARTS/LINKAGES, WAS INTACT AND APPROXIMATELY 15 FEET OF THE MAIN WRECKAGE.
BROKEN CABLES AND A (TROLLEY SYSTEM) WERE FOUND AT THE ACCIDENT SITE, THE CABLES WERE PULLED IN THE DIRECTION TOWARD THE HELICOPTER.
PILOT HAD MINOR INJURIES; PASSENGER WAS REPORTED TO HAVE BROKEN RIBS.
AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED MAJOR 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.