What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Approx. 0032 hrs. - wind was 030 light and variable, with approach made from the southwest over the corn field into the khp facility under night vision goggles. Came to a hover and taxied to the khp concrete ramp on west side of building. I then pedal turned facing the west to line up with landing lines painted on the ramp. I looked under my goggles and observed the right painted mark directly under my right skid at which I estimate we were approx. 4 to 6 feet above. I then looked up into my goggles to set the helicopter down at which time the observer advised we needed to move forward. I tried to move forward but nothing happened at which time I felt a sudden jolt and then the noise of the tail rotor strike. I do not remember, but apparently dropped the collective which causde the helicopter to drop just as it was starting to roll. The helicopter impacted the groun.d
As the FAA filed it
APPROX. 0032 HRS. - WIND WAS 030 LIGHT AND VARIABLE, WITH APPROACH MADE FROM THE SOUTHWEST OVER THE CORN FIELD INTO THE KHP FACILITY UNDER NIGHT VISION GOGGLES. CAME TO A HOVER AND TAXIED TO THE KHP CONCRETE RAMP ON WEST SIDE OF BUILDING. I THEN PEDAL TURNED FACING THE WEST TO LINE UP WITH LANDING LINES PAINTED ON THE RAMP. I LOOKED UNDER MY GOGGLES AND OBSERVED THE RIGHT PAINTED MARK DIRECTLY UNDER MY RIGHT SKID AT WHICH I ESTIMATE WE WERE APPROX. 4 TO 6 FEET ABOVE. I THEN LOOKED UP INTO MY GOGGLES TO SET THE HELICOPTER DOWN AT WHICH TIME THE OBSERVER ADVISED WE NEEDED TO MOVE FORWARD. I TRIED TO MOVE FORWARD BUT NOTHING HAPPENED AT WHICH TIME I FELT A SUDDEN JOLT AND THEN THE NOISE OF THE TAIL ROTOR STRIKE. I DO NOT REMEMBER, BUT APPARENTLY DROPPED THE COLLECTIVE WHICH CAUSDE THE HELICOPTER TO DROP JUST AS IT WAS STARTING TO ROLL. THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE GROUN.D
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.