What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 9 December 2021 at approximately 1715 local,privacy data omitted prepared to fly a safari 400 helicopter (N666JS) at Mckinney National Airport. privacy data omitted Conducted a preflight exterior check in accordance with the aircraft manufacturer?s checklist. privacy data omitted Used the manufacturer?s checklist to complete the aircraft starting procedures but missed the step where he was supposed to disengage the cyclic control lock for the second time. Once the aircraft was ready for flight privacy data omitted applied collective power to reach a 2-3 foot hover height. The aircraft began to drift and roll left, privacy data omitted attempted to correct with cyclic input but the cyclic was unmovable. privacy data omitted Attempted to level the aircraft using a shift of his body weight while landing but it was unsuccessful. The aircraft continued the left roll and slide to the left, impacted the ground and rolled over on its left side while rotating about 90 degrees from takeoff heading. The impact with the ground ruptured the right fuel tank causing the leaking fuel to ignite a post-crash fire. privacy data omitted Sustained burn injuries while exiting the helicopter. The aircraft was destroyed in the post-crash fire.
As the FAA filed it
ON 9 DECEMBER 2021 AT APPROXIMATELY 1715 LOCAL,^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ PREPARED TO FLY A SAFARI 400 HELICOPTER (N666JS) AT MCKINNEY NATIONAL AIRPORT. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ CONDUCTED A PREFLIGHT EXTERIOR CHECK IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE AIRCRAFT MANUFACTURER?S CHECKLIST. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ USED THE MANUFACTURER?S CHECKLIST TO COMPLETE THE AIRCRAFT STARTING PROCEDURES BUT MISSED THE STEP WHERE HE WAS SUPPOSED TO DISENGAGE THE CYCLIC CONTROL LOCK FOR THE SECOND TIME. ONCE THE AIRCRAFT WAS READY FOR FLIGHT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ APPLIED COLLECTIVE POWER TO REACH A 2-3 FOOT HOVER HEIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO DRIFT AND ROLL LEFT, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT WITH CYCLIC INPUT BUT THE CYCLIC WAS UNMOVABLE. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ATTEMPTED TO LEVEL THE AIRCRAFT USING A SHIFT OF HIS BODY WEIGHT WHILE LANDING BUT IT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED THE LEFT ROLL AND SLIDE TO THE LEFT, IMPACTED THE GROUND AND ROLLED OVER ON ITS LEFT SIDE WHILE ROTATING ABOUT 90 DEGREES FROM TAKEOFF HEADING. THE IMPACT WITH THE GROUND RUPTURED THE RIGHT FUEL TANK CAUSING THE LEAKING FUEL TO IGNITE A POST-CRASH FIRE. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ SUSTAINED BURN INJURIES WHILE EXITING THE HELICOPTER. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED IN THE POST-CRASH FIRE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.