What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot stated he was flying into a lading spot that was previously cleared of snow at a hotel in methow WA. Pilot stated he flew over the landing area, and from the air it looked like he had enough room. He was using a fire extinguisher as a reference point and felt comfortable with the area. Pilot stated that as he was coming down he felt like the aircraft drifted back, and the tail rotor made contact with the snow bank behind him. Once the tail rotor made contact, the aircraft began to spin, and the skid contacted a small bank of snow, approximately 1 foot tall, and caused the aircraft to tip on its side.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT STATED HE WAS FLYING INTO A LADING SPOT THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY CLEARED OF SNOW AT A HOTEL IN METHOW WA. PILOT STATED HE FLEW OVER THE LANDING AREA, AND FROM THE AIR IT LOOKED LIKE HE HAD ENOUGH ROOM. HE WAS USING A FIRE EXTINGUISHER AS A REFERENCE POINT AND FELT COMFORTABLE WITH THE AREA. PILOT STATED THAT AS HE WAS COMING DOWN HE FELT LIKE THE AIRCRAFT DRIFTED BACK, AND THE TAIL ROTOR MADE CONTACT WITH THE SNOW BANK BEHIND HIM. ONCE THE TAIL ROTOR MADE CONTACT, THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO SPIN, AND THE SKID CONTACTED A SMALL BANK OF SNOW, APPROXIMATELY 1 FOOT TALL, AND CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO TIP ON ITS 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.