What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 4/30/2017 at 1715 MDT, a xxxxxxxx, N164JB, impacted the ground near Phifer Airfield (ean). There was xxx POB onboard with no injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The pilot was taking off and noticed that he didn?t have as much tail rotor effectiveness as he would have liked, but thought it would be ok. As he was climbing out he realized he didn?t have any control at all in the right pedal, so he decided to set it right back down in the next field from where he started from, (maybe 150 yards away from the starting point). He picked a spot to land on and as he approached he knew he was going to lose any directional control the winglets afforded him, so as it was starting to turn to the left at about the 3-5? Off the ground he just sat it down because it was already turned 90 degree left of direction of flight. As it turned out the right skid landed on a muffler that was buried in the grass and bent the skid up about 1.5? And then slid off and on contact with the ground the right gear or skid folded up and it rolled over on the right side. Damaging the blades, as well as the tail.
As the FAA filed it
ON 4/30/2017 AT 1715 MDT, A XXXXXXXX, N164JB, IMPACTED THE GROUND NEAR PHIFER AIRFIELD (EAN). THERE WAS XXX POB ONBOARD WITH NO INJURIES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE PILOT WAS TAKING OFF AND NOTICED THAT HE DIDN?T HAVE AS MUCH TAIL ROTOR EFFECTIVENESS AS HE WOULD HAVE LIKED, BUT THOUGHT IT WOULD BE OK. AS HE WAS CLIMBING OUT HE REALIZED HE DIDN?T HAVE ANY CONTROL AT ALL IN THE RIGHT PEDAL, SO HE DECIDED TO SET IT RIGHT BACK DOWN IN THE NEXT FIELD FROM WHERE HE STARTED FROM, (MAYBE 150 YARDS AWAY FROM THE STARTING POINT). HE PICKED A SPOT TO LAND ON AND AS HE APPROACHED HE KNEW HE WAS GOING TO LOSE ANY DIRECTIONAL CONTROL THE WINGLETS AFFORDED HIM, SO AS IT WAS STARTING TO TURN TO THE LEFT AT ABOUT THE 3-5? OFF THE GROUND HE JUST SAT IT DOWN BECAUSE IT WAS ALREADY TURNED 90 DEGREE LEFT OF DIRECTION OF FLIGHT. AS IT TURNED OUT THE RIGHT SKID LANDED ON A MUFFLER THAT WAS BURIED IN THE GRASS AND BENT THE SKID UP ABOUT 1.5? AND THEN SLID OFF AND ON CONTACT WITH THE GROUND THE RIGHT GEAR OR SKID FOLDED UP AND IT ROLLED OVER ON THE RIGHT SIDE. DAMAGING THE BLADES, AS WELL AS THE TAIL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.