What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Accident occurred on 12/3/2021 at 10 am.
Robinson Helicopter R-22 (N7116L).
privacy data omitted
Accident type: aircraft destroyed.
Phase of operation: hovering at approximately 12 feet.
Purpose: herding cattle
The pilot choose to hover backwards,
Ran the tail rotor into a mesquite branch which destroyed the tail rotor and caused the attached gearbox to depart the aircraft.
No flight plan was filed.
Pilot was the only person onboard and suffered minor injuries.
Pilot holds a commercial certificate.
Origin of flight: pilot departed a local ranch near Hachita, NM on 12/3/2021 at approximately 9 am local.
As the FAA filed it
ACCIDENT OCCURRED ON 12/3/2021 AT 10 AM.
ROBINSON HELICOPTER R-22 (N7116L).
^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^
ACCIDENT TYPE: AIRCRAFT DESTROYED.
PHASE OF OPERATION: HOVERING AT APPROXIMATELY 12 FEET.
PURPOSE: HERDING CATTLE
THE PILOT CHOOSE TO HOVER BACKWARDS,
RAN THE TAIL ROTOR INTO A MESQUITE BRANCH WHICH DESTROYED THE TAIL ROTOR AND CAUSED THE ATTACHED GEARBOX TO DEPART THE AIRCRAFT.
NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED.
PILOT WAS THE ONLY PERSON ONBOARD AND SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES.
PILOT HOLDS A COMMERCIAL CERTIFICATE.
ORIGIN OF FLIGHT: PILOT DEPARTED A LOCAL RANCH NEAR HACHITA, NM ON 12/3/2021 AT APPROXIMATELY 9 AM LOCAL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.