What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot statement of accident , 8/23/15
"After a gecko 1 arrival southbound for csa ramp, the tower announced the winds were at 280 direction at 10 knots. I proceeded over the hangers and did a wide standard turn to the left, making my approach from the north east, lined up with the taxiway perpendicular to the taxiway bravo.
Once over bravo taxi, at 30-40 feet, the cyclic began turning erratically counter clockwise, a circle about the circumference of a basketball. Due to my training and experience, I immediately realized I was in an emergency situation. I fought the aircraft down to the ramp attempting an emergency landing.
While attempting to land, the cyclic continued with its erratic movement counterclockwise. I attempted to set the helicopter down before it got worse. Once the skids barely touched the ground the helicopter began to move violently in all directions. Per the POH and as I have been trained to do,I attempted to lift it back off in an attempt to stabilize the aircraft and it got worse.
I don't recall the aircraft ever lifting off again, as it appeared to me that the flight controls were not functioning properly. I had no choice but to set the helicopter down and try my best to control the cyclic, and ride through the outcome. Erik adamson"
As the FAA filed it
PILOT STATEMENT OF ACCIDENT , 8/23/15
"AFTER A GECKO 1 ARRIVAL SOUTHBOUND FOR CSA RAMP, THE TOWER ANNOUNCED THE WINDS WERE AT 280 DIRECTION AT 10 KNOTS. I PROCEEDED OVER THE HANGERS AND DID A WIDE STANDARD TURN TO THE LEFT, MAKING MY APPROACH FROM THE NORTH EAST, LINED UP WITH THE TAXIWAY PERPENDICULAR TO THE TAXIWAY BRAVO.
ONCE OVER BRAVO TAXI, AT 30-40 FEET, THE CYCLIC BEGAN TURNING ERRATICALLY COUNTER CLOCKWISE, A CIRCLE ABOUT THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF A BASKETBALL. DUE TO MY TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE, I IMMEDIATELY REALIZED I WAS IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION. I FOUGHT THE AIRCRAFT DOWN TO THE RAMP ATTEMPTING AN EMERGENCY LANDING.
WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND, THE CYCLIC CONTINUED WITH ITS ERRATIC MOVEMENT COUNTERCLOCKWISE. I ATTEMPTED TO SET THE HELICOPTER DOWN BEFORE IT GOT WORSE. ONCE THE SKIDS BARELY TOUCHED THE GROUND THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO MOVE VIOLENTLY IN ALL DIRECTIONS. PER THE POH AND AS I HAVE BEEN TRAINED TO DO,I ATTEMPTED TO LIFT IT BACK OFF IN AN ATTEMPT TO STABILIZE THE AIRCRAFT AND IT GOT WORSE.
I DON'T RECALL THE AIRCRAFT EVER LIFTING OFF AGAIN, AS IT APPEARED TO ME THAT THE FLIGHT CONTROLS WERE NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO SET THE HELICOPTER DOWN AND TRY MY BEST TO CONTROL THE CYCLIC, AND RIDE THROUGH THE OUTCOME. ERIK ADAMSON"
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.