What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
N790RJ, a 1970 UH1-H helicoper operated by the king county sheriff department received substantial damage after contacting the ground on the side of Mt. Adams located in Washington state at 7,800 feet MSL. There were 8 personnel onboard the helicopter at the time of the accident, with no injuries noted.
The helicoper was being operated under public use aircraft rules, however this accident occurred well outside king county's jurisdiction.
Two pilots were involved in this accident. The helicopter was equipped with dual controls, however the lower experienced pilot was listed as pilot in command.
The stated purpose of the flight was "an airborne recon, inserting search and rescue volunteers". The helicopter, operating at 7,800 feet MSL and 100 feet AGL, lost tailrotor authority. The helicopter spun 2 or 3 complete revolutions then struck the ground and bounced back into the air. The left skid was bent and detached from the aft cross tube. Substantial damage also occurred to the fuselage from below the co-pilot door and aft of the left sliding crew door.
The two pilot crew elected to fly the damaged helicopter approximately 50 miles to the Yakima, Washington airport (ykm). Pallets were placed under the left side of the helicopter at ykm prior to landing to keep the helicopter from rolling on it's left side.
As the FAA filed it
N790RJ, A 1970 UH1-H HELICOPER OPERATED BY THE KING COUNTY SHERIFF DEPARTMENT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AFTER CONTACTING THE GROUND ON THE SIDE OF MT. ADAMS LOCATED IN WASHINGTON STATE AT 7,800 FEET MSL. THERE WERE 8 PERSONNEL ONBOARD THE HELICOPTER AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, WITH NO INJURIES NOTED.
THE HELICOPER WAS BEING OPERATED UNDER PUBLIC USE AIRCRAFT RULES, HOWEVER THIS ACCIDENT OCCURRED WELL OUTSIDE KING COUNTY'S JURISDICTION.
TWO PILOTS WERE INVOLVED IN THIS ACCIDENT. THE HELICOPTER WAS EQUIPPED WITH DUAL CONTROLS, HOWEVER THE LOWER EXPERIENCED PILOT WAS LISTED AS PILOT IN COMMAND.
THE STATED PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS "AN AIRBORNE RECON, INSERTING SEARCH AND RESCUE VOLUNTEERS". THE HELICOPTER, OPERATING AT 7,800 FEET MSL AND 100 FEET AGL, LOST TAILROTOR AUTHORITY. THE HELICOPTER SPUN 2 OR 3 COMPLETE REVOLUTIONS THEN STRUCK THE GROUND AND BOUNCED BACK INTO THE AIR. THE LEFT SKID WAS BENT AND DETACHED FROM THE AFT CROSS TUBE. SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE ALSO OCCURRED TO THE FUSELAGE FROM BELOW THE CO-PILOT DOOR AND AFT OF THE LEFT SLIDING CREW DOOR.
THE TWO PILOT CREW ELECTED TO FLY THE DAMAGED HELICOPTER APPROXIMATELY 50 MILES TO THE YAKIMA, WASHINGTON AIRPORT (YKM). PALLETS WERE PLACED UNDER THE LEFT SIDE OF THE HELICOPTER AT YKM PRIOR TO LANDING TO KEEP THE HELICOPTER FROM ROLLING ON IT'S LEFT SIDE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.