What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
In an interview with the crashed helicopter?s pilot he stated that he was flying at altitude of approximately 250 feet above ground level carrying a cameraman that was filming another helicopter ?hog hunting? For a reality show. The pilot said that it was windy and gusty, and he was trying to keep the helicopter on a position that allows the cameraman to film, when suddenly the helicopter starts spinning. Pilot stated that when he tried to correct the spinning by applying pedals the helicopter was not responding and entered on a loss of tail-rotor effectiveness (lte). He also stated that he thought on maneuver the helicopter to gain speed to recover from the spinning or make an autorotation, but did not have the enough altitude. The helicopter continues to spin out of control and crashed on a heavily wooded area causing serious injuries to the pilot and passenger. A statement from a witness on the other helicopter and the cameraman in the crashed helicopter confirmed the pilot?s version that the helicopter entered on a spinning condition before crashed in the wooded area. Examination of the scene revealed the helicopter resting on its right side with substantial damage. Main and tail rotor blades were still attached to the helicopter with damage consistent with impact.
As the FAA filed it
IN AN INTERVIEW WITH THE CRASHED HELICOPTER?S PILOT HE STATED THAT HE WAS FLYING AT ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 250 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL CARRYING A CAMERAMAN THAT WAS FILMING ANOTHER HELICOPTER ?HOG HUNTING? FOR A REALITY SHOW. THE PILOT SAID THAT IT WAS WINDY AND GUSTY, AND HE WAS TRYING TO KEEP THE HELICOPTER ON A POSITION THAT ALLOWS THE CAMERAMAN TO FILM, WHEN SUDDENLY THE HELICOPTER STARTS SPINNING. PILOT STATED THAT WHEN HE TRIED TO CORRECT THE SPINNING BY APPLYING PEDALS THE HELICOPTER WAS NOT RESPONDING AND ENTERED ON A LOSS OF TAIL-ROTOR EFFECTIVENESS (LTE). HE ALSO STATED THAT HE THOUGHT ON MANEUVER THE HELICOPTER TO GAIN SPEED TO RECOVER FROM THE SPINNING OR MAKE AN AUTOROTATION, BUT DID NOT HAVE THE ENOUGH ALTITUDE. THE HELICOPTER CONTINUES TO SPIN OUT OF CONTROL AND CRASHED ON A HEAVILY WOODED AREA CAUSING SERIOUS INJURIES TO THE PILOT AND PASSENGER. A STATEMENT FROM A WITNESS ON THE OTHER HELICOPTER AND THE CAMERAMAN IN THE CRASHED HELICOPTER CONFIRMED THE PILOT?S VERSION THAT THE HELICOPTER ENTERED ON A SPINNING CONDITION BEFORE CRASHED IN THE WOODED AREA. EXAMINATION OF THE SCENE REVEALED THE HELICOPTER RESTING ON ITS RIGHT SIDE WITH SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. MAIN AND TAIL ROTOR BLADES WERE STILL ATTACHED TO THE HELICOPTER WITH DAMAGE CONSISTENT WITH IMPACT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.