What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot was approaching Beaumont Municipal Airport (kbmt) runway 13. There was a C-172 waiting to depart the runway. As he maneuvered to a hover, the C-172 announced they were departing runway 13. The passenger exclaimed "she's taking off!". The pilot began a left pedal turn to see the traffic and subsequently lost control, possibly due to a wind gust the pilot believes, but is not certain. The helicopter spun violently and landed hard to the west of runway 13 at the midfield point.
Tail rotor boom split and appeared to strike the ground; both main rotor blades struck the ground and were bent in extreme angles. Tail rotor blades broken off. Portions of the main rotor control system appear to have sheared apart. Right cockpit plexiglas broken.
There was no weather in the immediate area, there were distant storms south.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT WAS APPROACHING BEAUMONT MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (KBMT) RUNWAY 13. THERE WAS A C-172 WAITING TO DEPART THE RUNWAY. AS HE MANEUVERED TO A HOVER, THE C-172 ANNOUNCED THEY WERE DEPARTING RUNWAY 13. THE PASSENGER EXCLAIMED "SHE'S TAKING OFF!". THE PILOT BEGAN A LEFT PEDAL TURN TO SEE THE TRAFFIC AND SUBSEQUENTLY LOST CONTROL, POSSIBLY DUE TO A WIND GUST THE PILOT BELIEVES, BUT IS NOT CERTAIN. THE HELICOPTER SPUN VIOLENTLY AND LANDED HARD TO THE WEST OF RUNWAY 13 AT THE MIDFIELD POINT.
TAIL ROTOR BOOM SPLIT AND APPEARED TO STRIKE THE GROUND; BOTH MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRUCK THE GROUND AND WERE BENT IN EXTREME ANGLES. TAIL ROTOR BLADES BROKEN OFF. PORTIONS OF THE MAIN ROTOR CONTROL SYSTEM APPEAR TO HAVE SHEARED APART. RIGHT COCKPIT PLEXIGLAS BROKEN.
THERE WAS NO WEATHER IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA, THERE WERE DISTANT STORMS SOUTH.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.