What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot was taking 3 passengers for a joy ride flight. Pilot landed aircraft on a vacant 2 acre lot, which he owned in Calhoun, GA. The lot was between a restaurant and several business buildings. Power poles and lines were located on the outer edge of the lot. Pilot wanted to demonstrate the operation of the helicopter to one of the passengers who was sitting in one of the front seats. Pilot had previously landed on the lot on several occasions and was well aware of the power poles and lines located on the outer edge of the field. Aircraft approach the field from the south direction and then turned to the north direction prior to a brief landing. Aircraft lifted off for a take off and did a 180 degree turn around in the northwest side of the field. Pilot backed up the aircraft to have more distance for gaining altitude to climb on the opposite end of the lot. Pilot failed to maintain proper distance between the aircraft and the power lines. Aircraft tail rotor blades struck the power lines. Aircraft started spinning and pilot could not maintain control. The aircraft tail rotor and main rotor blades struck a commercial building. The aircraft spun 180 degrees and then crash landed on its LH side. All occupants walked away from the aircraft. There was no rain or heavy winds noted. Sky was cloudy but visibility was good. There was no other pending factors that could have contributed to the accident.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT WAS TAKING 3 PASSENGERS FOR A JOY RIDE FLIGHT. PILOT LANDED AIRCRAFT ON A VACANT 2 ACRE LOT, WHICH HE OWNED IN CALHOUN, GA. THE LOT WAS BETWEEN A RESTAURANT AND SEVERAL BUSINESS BUILDINGS. POWER POLES AND LINES WERE LOCATED ON THE OUTER EDGE OF THE LOT. PILOT WANTED TO DEMONSTRATE THE OPERATION OF THE HELICOPTER TO ONE OF THE PASSENGERS WHO WAS SITTING IN ONE OF THE FRONT SEATS. PILOT HAD PREVIOUSLY LANDED ON THE LOT ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND WAS WELL AWARE OF THE POWER POLES AND LINES LOCATED ON THE OUTER EDGE OF THE FIELD. AIRCRAFT APPROACH THE FIELD FROM THE SOUTH DIRECTION AND THEN TURNED TO THE NORTH DIRECTION PRIOR TO A BRIEF LANDING. AIRCRAFT LIFTED OFF FOR A TAKE OFF AND DID A 180 DEGREE TURN AROUND IN THE NORTHWEST SIDE OF THE FIELD. PILOT BACKED UP THE AIRCRAFT TO HAVE MORE DISTANCE FOR GAINING ALTITUDE TO CLIMB ON THE OPPOSITE END OF THE LOT. PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN PROPER DISTANCE BETWEEN THE AIRCRAFT AND THE POWER LINES. AIRCRAFT TAIL ROTOR BLADES STRUCK THE POWER LINES. AIRCRAFT STARTED SPINNING AND PILOT COULD NOT MAINTAIN CONTROL. THE AIRCRAFT TAIL ROTOR AND MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRUCK A COMMERCIAL BUILDING. THE AIRCRAFT SPUN 180 DEGREES AND THEN CRASH LANDED ON ITS LH SIDE. ALL OCCUPANTS WALKED AWAY FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THERE WAS NO RAIN OR HEAVY WINDS NOTED. SKY WAS CLOUDY BUT VISIBILITY WAS GOOD. THERE WAS NO OTHER PENDING FACTORS THAT COULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.