What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On April 3, 2015, at 11:15 CDT, a Robinson R-22 helicopter bearing registration number N8363D, was attempting to land at a Private Ranch approximately 16 miles southwest of the town of Fort Davis, Texas . The pilot reported landing downwind near a mountain peak and got sideways experiencing an unrecoverable dynamic rollover. The helicopter sustained substantial damage during the maneuver. The aircraft was being operated on a personal flight doing photography work. Visual meterological conditions prevailed at the time, and a VFR flight plan was not filed. The pilot and front passenger were not injured. The flight originated from the same location as the landing attempt.
As the FAA filed it
ON APRIL 3, 2015, AT 11:15 CDT, A ROBINSON R-22 HELICOPTER BEARING REGISTRATION NUMBER N8363D, WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND AT A PRIVATE RANCH APPROXIMATELY 16 MILES SOUTHWEST OF THE TOWN OF FORT DAVIS, TEXAS . THE PILOT REPORTED LANDING DOWNWIND NEAR A MOUNTAIN PEAK AND GOT SIDEWAYS EXPERIENCING AN UNRECOVERABLE DYNAMIC ROLLOVER. THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING THE MANEUVER. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED ON A PERSONAL FLIGHT DOING PHOTOGRAPHY WORK. VISUAL METEROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME, AND A VFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED. THE PILOT AND FRONT PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE SAME LOCATION AS THE LANDING ATTEMPT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.