What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot stated that he performed pre-takeoff flight control checks by memory, and all responses were normal. As the helicopter was lifting off to a hover, the tail rotor control pedals were stuck. The helicopter started moving sideways off of the dolly. The pilot was concerned the helicopter would slide off the dolly and roll over. He increased the collective and the helicopter started to spin to the left. He could not get away from the dolly fast enough and the helicopter spun into the tow tractor cab. The tail rotor blades were broken off after they contacted the tow tractor. The pilot managed to move off the left side of the dolly and land the aircraft level in the grass. There was significant visible damage to the tail boom, vertical fin, tail rotor hub, and pitch change rods.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT STATED THAT HE PERFORMED PRE-TAKEOFF FLIGHT CONTROL CHECKS BY MEMORY, AND ALL RESPONSES WERE NORMAL. AS THE HELICOPTER WAS LIFTING OFF TO A HOVER, THE TAIL ROTOR CONTROL PEDALS WERE STUCK. THE HELICOPTER STARTED MOVING SIDEWAYS OFF OF THE DOLLY. THE PILOT WAS CONCERNED THE HELICOPTER WOULD SLIDE OFF THE DOLLY AND ROLL OVER. HE INCREASED THE COLLECTIVE AND THE HELICOPTER STARTED TO SPIN TO THE LEFT. HE COULD NOT GET AWAY FROM THE DOLLY FAST ENOUGH AND THE HELICOPTER SPUN INTO THE TOW TRACTOR CAB. THE TAIL ROTOR BLADES WERE BROKEN OFF AFTER THEY CONTACTED THE TOW TRACTOR. THE PILOT MANAGED TO MOVE OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE DOLLY AND LAND THE AIRCRAFT LEVEL IN THE GRASS. THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT VISIBLE DAMAGE TO THE TAIL BOOM, VERTICAL FIN, TAIL ROTOR HUB, AND PITCH CHANGE RODS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.