What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The helicopter pilot touched down too FAR aft over the cart/pad during landing causing the aircraft to slide backwards off the cart. The pilot then reacted with full forward cyclic and increased collective to try to regain control of the aircraft and get the aircraft airborne. These control inputs caused the aircraft to be thrusted back into the air but with very low tail rotor inertia. The helicopter began to climb 50 ft while rotating and then fell while rotating to the ground in an upright position impacting the ground.
As the FAA filed it
THE HELICOPTER PILOT TOUCHED DOWN TOO FAR AFT OVER THE CART/PAD DURING LANDING CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO SLIDE BACKWARDS OFF THE CART. THE PILOT THEN REACTED WITH FULL FORWARD CYCLIC AND INCREASED COLLECTIVE TO TRY TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND GET THE AIRCRAFT AIRBORNE. THESE CONTROL INPUTS CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO BE THRUSTED BACK INTO THE AIR BUT WITH VERY LOW TAIL ROTOR INERTIA. THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO CLIMB 50 FT WHILE ROTATING AND THEN FELL WHILE ROTATING TO THE GROUND IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION IMPACTING THE GROUND.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.