What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
See UAS report atqa #AAL0322003 for additional details.
On October 10, 2021 at approximately 1310 AKDT, privacy data omitted, a Robinson R-44 ii helicopter privacy data omitted under FAR part 135, departed a private helicopter port located at privacy data omitted Palmer Alaska for the purposes of transporting 3 passengers on a knik glacier air tour. The commerical pilot, privacy data omitted, flew the aircraft to the knik glacier area. As the aircraft approached the knik glacer water area known to the pilot as "glacier lake", the aircraft was being flown at low altitude. As the aircraft was approaching the "lake", the pilot flew his normal route that was northeast of a known location where utility terrain vehicles (utv) operated by commerical guide companies stop and allow their clients to view the glacier area. Unknown to the pilot, a drone operator was operating a dji air 2S drone "aircraft" over the water area at an altitude of between 80 and 95 feet AGL for the purposes of taking pictures of a family event. After the helicopter crossed the shoreline over the water, the helicopter executed an approximate 180 degree right banking turn. While in the turn the helicopter collided with a drone that at the time was at 86.9 feet AGL. The drone impacted the main rotor blade about 3 feet from the blade tip. The pilot stated he heard a loud "ping" and felt a vibration under his seat. The helicopter continued the tour flight and landed on the glacier as planned without further incident. The passengers spent approximately 30 minutes on the glacier and took off returning to the original home base departure point without further incident. The pilot stated he first noted the damage on the main rotor blade during shutdown at the home base.
As the FAA filed it
SEE UAS REPORT ATQA #AAL0322003 FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS.
ON OCTOBER 10, 2021 AT APPROXIMATELY 1310 AKDT, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, A ROBINSON R-44 II HELICOPTER ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ UNDER FAR PART 135, DEPARTED A PRIVATE HELICOPTER PORT LOCATED AT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ PALMER ALASKA FOR THE PURPOSES OF TRANSPORTING 3 PASSENGERS ON A KNIK GLACIER AIR TOUR. THE COMMERICAL PILOT, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, FLEW THE AIRCRAFT TO THE KNIK GLACIER AREA. AS THE AIRCRAFT APPROACHED THE KNIK GLACER WATER AREA KNOWN TO THE PILOT AS "GLACIER LAKE", THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING FLOWN AT LOW ALTITUDE. AS THE AIRCRAFT WAS APPROACHING THE "LAKE", THE PILOT FLEW HIS NORMAL ROUTE THAT WAS NORTHEAST OF A KNOWN LOCATION WHERE UTILITY TERRAIN VEHICLES (UTV) OPERATED BY COMMERICAL GUIDE COMPANIES STOP AND ALLOW THEIR CLIENTS TO VIEW THE GLACIER AREA. UNKNOWN TO THE PILOT, A DRONE OPERATOR WAS OPERATING A DJI AIR 2S DRONE "AIRCRAFT" OVER THE WATER AREA AT AN ALTITUDE OF BETWEEN 80 AND 95 FEET AGL FOR THE PURPOSES OF TAKING PICTURES OF A FAMILY EVENT. AFTER THE HELICOPTER CROSSED THE SHORELINE OVER THE WATER, THE HELICOPTER EXECUTED AN APPROXIMATE 180 DEGREE RIGHT BANKING TURN. WHILE IN THE TURN THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH A DRONE THAT AT THE TIME WAS AT 86.9 FEET AGL. THE DRONE IMPACTED THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE ABOUT 3 FEET FROM THE BLADE TIP. THE PILOT STATED HE HEARD A LOUD "PING" AND FELT A VIBRATION UNDER HIS SEAT. THE HELICOPTER CONTINUED THE TOUR FLIGHT AND LANDED ON THE GLACIER AS PLANNED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE PASSENGERS SPENT APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES ON THE GLACIER AND TOOK OFF RETURNING TO THE ORIGINAL HOME BASE DEPARTURE POINT WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE PILOT STATED HE FIRST NOTED THE DAMAGE ON THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE DURING SHUTDOWN AT THE HOME BASE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.