What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 6/19/2018 N7040P a Robinson R-66 helicopter departed Cordova Municipal Airport at 10:30 am with the pilot and 2 pax onboard, destination was a remote communications site 30NM east of the airport on the copper river. VFR flight plan filed with juneau fss on rco 122.5. The weather at the time was VFR with some low fog in areas ind visiblity of more than 10 miles. Aircraft was to land at a ridgetop microwave tower. An approach to the site was made from several angles to find a suitable landing area. On the last attempt to determine an area for landing the tailrotor contacted some brush causing the helicopter to pivot with the main rotor making contact with the communications tower at about 15 feet AGL. Helicopter rotated and rolled 180 degress and came to rest on it's left side. The pilot shut down the engine and exited the helicopter with a fire extinguisher. The front passenger exited through the front window, rear passenger exited from the right rear of the aircraft after the pilot removed the rear door. There were no injuries or post crash fire.
As the FAA filed it
ON 6/19/2018 N7040P A ROBINSON R-66 HELICOPTER DEPARTED CORDOVA MUNICIPAL AIRPORT AT 10:30 AM WITH THE PILOT AND 2 PAX ONBOARD, DESTINATION WAS A REMOTE COMMUNICATIONS SITE 30NM EAST OF THE AIRPORT ON THE COPPER RIVER. VFR FLIGHT PLAN FILED WITH JUNEAU FSS ON RCO 122.5. THE WEATHER AT THE TIME WAS VFR WITH SOME LOW FOG IN AREAS IND VISIBLITY OF MORE THAN 10 MILES. AIRCRAFT WAS TO LAND AT A RIDGETOP MICROWAVE TOWER. AN APPROACH TO THE SITE WAS MADE FROM SEVERAL ANGLES TO FIND A SUITABLE LANDING AREA. ON THE LAST ATTEMPT TO DETERMINE AN AREA FOR LANDING THE TAILROTOR CONTACTED SOME BRUSH CAUSING THE HELICOPTER TO PIVOT WITH THE MAIN ROTOR MAKING CONTACT WITH THE COMMUNICATIONS TOWER AT ABOUT 15 FEET AGL. HELICOPTER ROTATED AND ROLLED 180 DEGRESS AND CAME TO REST ON IT'S LEFT SIDE. THE PILOT SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE AND EXITED THE HELICOPTER WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. THE FRONT PASSENGER EXITED THROUGH THE FRONT WINDOW, REAR PASSENGER EXITED FROM THE RIGHT REAR OF THE AIRCRAFT AFTER THE PILOT REMOVED THE REAR DOOR. THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR POST CRASH FIRE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.