What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft was transporting nine, 24 foot logs when the pilot felt a loud vibration and heard a howling sound coming from the transmission area. The logs were immediately dropped into a field from a height of about 15 feet. He noticed no master caution lights. The collective was immediately lowered and the aircraft descended into a flat open field. About half way down he felt the controls getting stiff and realized a possible hydraulic failure. Aircraft landed hard enough to damage both skids.
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT WAS TRANSPORTING NINE, 24 FOOT LOGS WHEN THE PILOT FELT A LOUD VIBRATION AND HEARD A HOWLING SOUND COMING FROM THE TRANSMISSION AREA. THE LOGS WERE IMMEDIATELY DROPPED INTO A FIELD FROM A HEIGHT OF ABOUT 15 FEET. HE NOTICED NO MASTER CAUTION LIGHTS. THE COLLECTIVE WAS IMMEDIATELY LOWERED AND THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED INTO A FLAT OPEN FIELD. ABOUT HALF WAY DOWN HE FELT THE CONTROLS GETTING STIFF AND REALIZED A POSSIBLE HYDRAULIC FAILURE. AIRCRAFT LANDED HARD ENOUGH TO DAMAGE BOTH SKIDS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.