What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On February 14, 2020, at 1100 CST, approximately, a 2005 Robinson R-44 rotorcraft helicopter, bearing N441KA, serial number 10824, registered to west Texas helicopters inc., struck a fence with the tail rotor and resulted in a loss of control and hard landing in a remote area 31.63 statute miles southwest of Marfa, Texas. The helicopter was operating an aerial work flight to herd cattle. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and a VFR flight plan was not filed. The helicopter sustained substantial damage, and the pilot was not injured. There were no passengers. The helicopter departed from a private ranch located 4.41 statute miles bearing 013 degrees northeast from the crash site on February 24, 2020 at 0800 CST.
As the FAA filed it
ON FEBRUARY 14, 2020, AT 1100 CST, APPROXIMATELY, A 2005 ROBINSON R-44 ROTORCRAFT HELICOPTER, BEARING N441KA, SERIAL NUMBER 10824, REGISTERED TO WEST TEXAS HELICOPTERS INC., STRUCK A FENCE WITH THE TAIL ROTOR AND RESULTED IN A LOSS OF CONTROL AND HARD LANDING IN A REMOTE AREA 31.63 STATUTE MILES SOUTHWEST OF MARFA, TEXAS. THE HELICOPTER WAS OPERATING AN AERIAL WORK FLIGHT TO HERD CATTLE. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME, AND A VFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED. THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, AND THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THERE WERE NO PASSENGERS. THE HELICOPTER DEPARTED FROM A PRIVATE RANCH LOCATED 4.41 STATUTE MILES BEARING 013 DEGREES NORTHEAST FROM THE CRASH SITE ON FEBRUARY 24, 2020 AT 0800 CST.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.