What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Time of accident 1645 local (2245 z).
ASOS data shows wind at 1615 local (2215 z) as 250 degrees @ 7 k, no gusts. ASOS data shows wind at 1635 local (2235 z) as 240 degrees @ 6 k, no gusts. ASOS data shows wind at 1655 local (2255 z) as 250 degrees @ 6 k, no gusts.
The pilot was practicing landings from a hover while facing different directions. He operated on the ramp area south of the FBO. A video was supplied by the airport. Total length 1 minute 6 seconds.
At the beginning, the helicopter is on the ground facing south. The pilot picks up the helicopter, does a right pedal turn to face west and sets the helicopter down at 25 seconds. At 34 seconds, the pilot picks the helicopter up to a hover. At 35 seconds, there was a skip in the video. At 36 seconds, the video shows a left pedal turn, with a little right drift to face the helicopter east. At 53 seconds, the heels of the skids touch down. At 54 seconds, the helicopter is solidly on the ground. At 55 seconds, the pilot begins a liftoff. The right skid leaves the ground first. At 56 seconds, the helicopter is off the ground. It begins a rapid right yaw and at 57 seconds, it is pointed southeast and is in approximately a 30 degree left bank. With the time still showing 57 seconds, the helicopter has rotated to a south heading, approximately 30 degrees nose up and the tail strikes the concrete ramp. At 58 seconds, the helicopter has rotated to a southwest heading, 30 degrees nose up and the skids are about 20 feet above ground. At 59 seconds, the helicopter has rotated to a north heading. At 60 seconds, the helicopter has rotated to a southeast heading, about a 60 degree right bank and 60 degree nose down attitude and 30 feet skid height. At 61 seconds, the helicopter hits the ground in the grass east of the ramp, facing northwest and rolls onto its right side.
As the FAA filed it
TIME OF ACCIDENT 1645 LOCAL (2245 Z).
ASOS DATA SHOWS WIND AT 1615 LOCAL (2215 Z) AS 250 DEGREES @ 7 K, NO GUSTS. ASOS DATA SHOWS WIND AT 1635 LOCAL (2235 Z) AS 240 DEGREES @ 6 K, NO GUSTS. ASOS DATA SHOWS WIND AT 1655 LOCAL (2255 Z) AS 250 DEGREES @ 6 K, NO GUSTS.
THE PILOT WAS PRACTICING LANDINGS FROM A HOVER WHILE FACING DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS. HE OPERATED ON THE RAMP AREA SOUTH OF THE FBO. A VIDEO WAS SUPPLIED BY THE AIRPORT. TOTAL LENGTH 1 MINUTE 6 SECONDS.
AT THE BEGINNING, THE HELICOPTER IS ON THE GROUND FACING SOUTH. THE PILOT PICKS UP THE HELICOPTER, DOES A RIGHT PEDAL TURN TO FACE WEST AND SETS THE HELICOPTER DOWN AT 25 SECONDS. AT 34 SECONDS, THE PILOT PICKS THE HELICOPTER UP TO A HOVER. AT 35 SECONDS, THERE WAS A SKIP IN THE VIDEO. AT 36 SECONDS, THE VIDEO SHOWS A LEFT PEDAL TURN, WITH A LITTLE RIGHT DRIFT TO FACE THE HELICOPTER EAST. AT 53 SECONDS, THE HEELS OF THE SKIDS TOUCH DOWN. AT 54 SECONDS, THE HELICOPTER IS SOLIDLY ON THE GROUND. AT 55 SECONDS, THE PILOT BEGINS A LIFTOFF. THE RIGHT SKID LEAVES THE GROUND FIRST. AT 56 SECONDS, THE HELICOPTER IS OFF THE GROUND. IT BEGINS A RAPID RIGHT YAW AND AT 57 SECONDS, IT IS POINTED SOUTHEAST AND IS IN APPROXIMATELY A 30 DEGREE LEFT BANK. WITH THE TIME STILL SHOWING 57 SECONDS, THE HELICOPTER HAS ROTATED TO A SOUTH HEADING, APPROXIMATELY 30 DEGREES NOSE UP AND THE TAIL STRIKES THE CONCRETE RAMP. AT 58 SECONDS, THE HELICOPTER HAS ROTATED TO A SOUTHWEST HEADING, 30 DEGREES NOSE UP AND THE SKIDS ARE ABOUT 20 FEET ABOVE GROUND. AT 59 SECONDS, THE HELICOPTER HAS ROTATED TO A NORTH HEADING. AT 60 SECONDS, THE HELICOPTER HAS ROTATED TO A SOUTHEAST HEADING, ABOUT A 60 DEGREE RIGHT BANK AND 60 DEGREE NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE AND 30 FEET SKID HEIGHT. AT 61 SECONDS, THE HELICOPTER HITS THE GROUND IN THE GRASS EAST OF THE RAMP, FACING NORTHWEST AND ROLLS ONTO ITS RIGHT SIDE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.