What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Description of accident event - pilot and one passenger (gunner) were utilizing the helicopter to capture game by the use of a net-gun. While descending into in a relatively small clearing, the pilot heard a "bang", followed by a loss of tail rotor authority. The pilot increased the altitude while trying to unsuccessfully regain directional control. The helicopter began to rotate about the vertical axis and the pilot directed a descent into the nearest space in the tree-covered area. The helicopter contact the ground in an upright attitude with a right yaw. The helicopter remained upright.
The helicopter sustained substantial damage. There was no post-crash fire, and no injuries.
Causal factors - pilots lack of situational awareness regarding the size constraints of the confined area and the clearance needed to keep the tail rotor clear of obstructions
Recommendations for systemic corrective actions - pilot, by necessity, needs to exercise a higher level of caution when operating in close proximity to vegitation and confined area. Personal limitations need to be adjusted so as not to operate in areas judged to be marginal in size and to be less aggressive in the more densely vegitated areas.
Comments - airman provided informal counseling
As the FAA filed it
DESCRIPTION OF ACCIDENT EVENT - PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER (GUNNER) WERE UTILIZING THE HELICOPTER TO CAPTURE GAME BY THE USE OF A NET-GUN. WHILE DESCENDING INTO IN A RELATIVELY SMALL CLEARING, THE PILOT HEARD A "BANG", FOLLOWED BY A LOSS OF TAIL ROTOR AUTHORITY. THE PILOT INCREASED THE ALTITUDE WHILE TRYING TO UNSUCCESSFULLY REGAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO ROTATE ABOUT THE VERTICAL AXIS AND THE PILOT DIRECTED A DESCENT INTO THE NEAREST SPACE IN THE TREE-COVERED AREA. THE HELICOPTER CONTACT THE GROUND IN AN UPRIGHT ATTITUDE WITH A RIGHT YAW. THE HELICOPTER REMAINED UPRIGHT.
THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THERE WAS NO POST-CRASH FIRE, AND NO INJURIES.
CAUSAL FACTORS - PILOTS LACK OF SITUATIONAL AWARENESS REGARDING THE SIZE CONSTRAINTS OF THE CONFINED AREA AND THE CLEARANCE NEEDED TO KEEP THE TAIL ROTOR CLEAR OF OBSTRUCTIONS
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SYSTEMIC CORRECTIVE ACTIONS - PILOT, BY NECESSITY, NEEDS TO EXERCISE A HIGHER LEVEL OF CAUTION WHEN OPERATING IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO VEGITATION AND CONFINED AREA. PERSONAL LIMITATIONS NEED TO BE ADJUSTED SO AS NOT TO OPERATE IN AREAS JUDGED TO BE MARGINAL IN SIZE AND TO BE LESS AGGRESSIVE IN THE MORE DENSELY VEGITATED AREAS.
COMMENTS - AIRMAN PROVIDED INFORMAL COUNSELING
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.