What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On may 23, 2023, privacy data omitted helicopter call sign “troy 161” with two crew members onboard experienced a hard landing. The aircraft departed brown field (sdm) at approximately 2115 in San Diego, CA for a routine patrol. After completion of their mission the aircraft flew back to Brownfield were the crew proceeded to do hover and pattern work while using night vision googles (NVG). After completing pattern work the aircraft flew over to the air operations base helipad located on the north side of brown field for landing.
Crew conclude the mission and proceed back to bp headquarters hlz. It was during this time the crew heard the approach of a fixed wing aircraft conducting the RNAV 06 into brown field on a 5-mile final, no factor to the safety of troy 161. Pilot stated he likes to keep some extra friction on the collective for changing radios during the patrol, in which he took some friction off for the maneuvers at brown field. As troy 161 was clearing the fence at approximately 20-30 feet AGL, the approaching fixed-wing aircraft was then on a short final for rwy 06 at which time the traffic collision avoidance system (TCAS) alerting TROY161 of their proximity, activating the "wig-wag" TCAS lights, which began to pulse, causing a strobing effect below the aircraft. (These lights remain shut off during NVG flight.) Pilot removed his hand from the collective during decent to switch off the lights and turned his head down to identify the switch. The collective reduced with the decreased friction, and since pilot had goggles down couldn’t see in periphery that the aircraft began to descend. Co-pilot called out ‘watch your descent” at which time the pilot pulled collective up. Pilot didn’t stop the descent fast enough and the skids contacted the ground.
No injuries to the crew, aircraft has minor damage, crumpled skin on the tail boom where it attaches to the fuselage, tail skid, and flir ball.
As the FAA filed it
ON MAY 23, 2023, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ HELICOPTER CALL SIGN “TROY 161” WITH TWO CREW MEMBERS ONBOARD EXPERIENCED A HARD LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED BROWN FIELD (SDM) AT APPROXIMATELY 2115 IN SAN DIEGO, CA FOR A ROUTINE PATROL. AFTER COMPLETION OF THEIR MISSION THE AIRCRAFT FLEW BACK TO BROWNFIELD WERE THE CREW PROCEEDED TO DO HOVER AND PATTERN WORK WHILE USING NIGHT VISION GOOGLES (NVG). AFTER COMPLETING PATTERN WORK THE AIRCRAFT FLEW OVER TO THE AIR OPERATIONS BASE HELIPAD LOCATED ON THE NORTH SIDE OF BROWN FIELD FOR LANDING.
CREW CONCLUDE THE MISSION AND PROCEED BACK TO BP HEADQUARTERS HLZ. IT WAS DURING THIS TIME THE CREW HEARD THE APPROACH OF A FIXED WING AIRCRAFT CONDUCTING THE RNAV 06 INTO BROWN FIELD ON A 5-MILE FINAL, NO FACTOR TO THE SAFETY OF TROY 161. PILOT STATED HE LIKES TO KEEP SOME EXTRA FRICTION ON THE COLLECTIVE FOR CHANGING RADIOS DURING THE PATROL, IN WHICH HE TOOK SOME FRICTION OFF FOR THE MANEUVERS AT BROWN FIELD. AS TROY 161 WAS CLEARING THE FENCE AT APPROXIMATELY 20-30 FEET AGL, THE APPROACHING FIXED-WING AIRCRAFT WAS THEN ON A SHORT FINAL FOR RWY 06 AT WHICH TIME THE TRAFFIC COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEM (TCAS) ALERTING TROY161 OF THEIR PROXIMITY, ACTIVATING THE "WIG-WAG" TCAS LIGHTS, WHICH BEGAN TO PULSE, CAUSING A STROBING EFFECT BELOW THE AIRCRAFT. (THESE LIGHTS REMAIN SHUT OFF DURING NVG FLIGHT.) PILOT REMOVED HIS HAND FROM THE COLLECTIVE DURING DECENT TO SWITCH OFF THE LIGHTS AND TURNED HIS HEAD DOWN TO IDENTIFY THE SWITCH. THE COLLECTIVE REDUCED WITH THE DECREASED FRICTION, AND SINCE PILOT HAD GOGGLES DOWN COULDN’T SEE IN PERIPHERY THAT THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO DESCEND. CO-PILOT CALLED OUT ‘WATCH YOUR DESCENT” AT WHICH TIME THE PILOT PULLED COLLECTIVE UP. PILOT DIDN’T STOP THE DESCENT FAST ENOUGH AND THE SKIDS CONTACTED THE GROUND.
NO INJURIES TO THE CREW, AIRCRAFT HAS MINOR DAMAGE, CRUMPLED SKIN ON THE TAIL BOOM WHERE IT ATTACHES TO THE FUSELAGE, TAIL SKID, AND FLIR BALL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.