What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot and two passengers (180 lbs. And 160 lbs.) Plus gear (90LBS) in R44-II helicopter conducting survey around noon at first of three survey points. Fuel on board about 1.2 hrs (19 gal = 194 lbs.). It started snowing, they were going to return to base, then decided to try and complete one more task. Less than one mile from first survey site was a weather station ... With the weather station in view, pilot headed up the hill to get a photograph. They flew southbound from previous site towards met tower, up hillside, no indication of wind. The pilot stated he thought he was about 50 feet above ground in a hover when "we encountered white out conditions." The pilot said he was pulling about 22-23 inches of manifold pressure in out of ground effect hover. Pilot previously had lower terrain and brush in sight for reference, but did not have this visual reference upon initiating escape plan of pulling power and moving/turning right. Upon initiating power increase and right turn, skid gear came in contact with the terrain and the helicopter rolled over. Pilot and front passengers suffered minor cuts on hands "as front windshield had broke."
As the FAA filed it
PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS (180 LBS. AND 160 LBS.) PLUS GEAR (90LBS) IN R44-II HELICOPTER CONDUCTING SURVEY AROUND NOON AT FIRST OF THREE SURVEY POINTS. FUEL ON BOARD ABOUT 1.2 HRS (19 GAL = 194 LBS.). IT STARTED SNOWING, THEY WERE GOING TO RETURN TO BASE, THEN DECIDED TO TRY AND COMPLETE ONE MORE TASK. LESS THAN ONE MILE FROM FIRST SURVEY SITE WAS A WEATHER STATION ... WITH THE WEATHER STATION IN VIEW, PILOT HEADED UP THE HILL TO GET A PHOTOGRAPH. THEY FLEW SOUTHBOUND FROM PREVIOUS SITE TOWARDS MET TOWER, UP HILLSIDE, NO INDICATION OF WIND. THE PILOT STATED HE THOUGHT HE WAS ABOUT 50 FEET ABOVE GROUND IN A HOVER WHEN "WE ENCOUNTERED WHITE OUT CONDITIONS." THE PILOT SAID HE WAS PULLING ABOUT 22-23 INCHES OF MANIFOLD PRESSURE IN OUT OF GROUND EFFECT HOVER.PILOT PREVIOUSLY HAD LOWER TERRAIN AND BRUSH IN SIGHT FOR REFERENCE, BUT DID NOT HAVE THIS VISUAL REFERENCE UPON INITIATING ESCAPE PLAN OF PULLING POWER AND MOVING/TURNING RIGHT. UPON INITIATING POWER INCREASE AND RIGHT TURN, SKID GEAR CAME IN CONTACT WITH THE TERRAIN AND THE HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER. PILOT AND FRONT PASSENGERS SUFFERED MINOR CUTS ON HANDS "AS FRONT WINDSHIELD HAD BROKE."
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.