What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On September 09, 2023, a helicopter operating under FAR part 135 was repositioning in a hover taxi landing at Frankfort regional medical center when it experienced a tail rotor blade strike. The pilot stated that the helicopter would require a 180 degree turn over the helipad to offload a patient. The pilot stated he initiated a pedal turn over the helipad rotating the helicopter counterclockwise. After the turn was completed, the pilot stated he lowered the collective to land and heard a scraping noise from the rear of the helicopter after the skids were in contact with the ground. The pilot stated he felt a slight vibration in the pedals and initiated an immediate shutdown. Further examination by the pilot revealed that the tail rotor blade made contact with a 4 foot pole next to the helipad. There were no injuries reported as well as no post impact fire. Post incident review indicated no maintenance abnormalities.
As the FAA filed it
ON SEPTEMBER 09, 2023, A HELICOPTER OPERATING UNDER FAR PART 135 WAS REPOSITIONING IN A HOVER TAXI LANDING AT FRANKFORT REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER WHEN IT EXPERIENCED A TAIL ROTOR BLADE STRIKE. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE HELICOPTER WOULD REQUIRE A 180 DEGREE TURN OVER THE HELIPAD TO OFFLOAD A PATIENT. THE PILOT STATED HE INITIATED A PEDAL TURN OVER THE HELIPAD ROTATING THE HELICOPTER COUNTERCLOCKWISE. AFTER THE TURN WAS COMPLETED, THE PILOT STATED HE LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE TO LAND AND HEARD A SCRAPING NOISE FROM THE REAR OF THE HELICOPTER AFTER THE SKIDS WERE IN CONTACT WITH THE GROUND. THE PILOT STATED HE FELT A SLIGHT VIBRATION IN THE PEDALS AND INITIATED AN IMMEDIATE SHUTDOWN. FURTHER EXAMINATION BY THE PILOT REVEALED THAT THE TAIL ROTOR BLADE MADE CONTACT WITH A 4 FOOT POLE NEXT TO THE HELIPAD. THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED AS WELL AS NO POST IMPACT FIRE. POST INCIDENT REVIEW INDICATED NO MAINTENANCE ABNORMALITIES.