What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
During flight airman noticed that the manifold pressure, engine oil pressure, and temperature were in the red area of the gages. Airman executed a precautional landing to check the situation on the ground at watson island helipad (X44). Airman initiated a right turning approach into a ground effect hover. During the approach to land the airman turned the heicopteer to the right using tailrotor pedal to position the helicopter on helipad. During the descending hovering turn the tail rotor contacted a pvc pipe that was sticking out from the ground NE of ashphalt and designated heliport surface landing area. Tail rotor seperated from the aircraft and a hard landing resulted spreading the skids.
As the FAA filed it
DURING FLIGHT AIRMAN NOTICED THAT THE MANIFOLD PRESSURE, ENGINE OIL PRESSURE, AND TEMPERATURE WERE IN THE RED AREA OF THE GAGES. AIRMAN EXECUTED A PRECAUTIONAL LANDING TO CHECK THE SITUATION ON THE GROUND AT WATSON ISLAND HELIPAD (X44). AIRMAN INITIATED A RIGHT TURNING APPROACH INTO A GROUND EFFECT HOVER. DURING THE APPROACH TO LAND THE AIRMAN TURNED THE HEICOPTEER TO THE RIGHT USING TAILROTOR PEDAL TO POSITION THE HELICOPTER ON HELIPAD. DURING THE DESCENDING HOVERING TURN THE TAIL ROTOR CONTACTED A PVC PIPE THAT WAS STICKING OUT FROM THE GROUND NE OF ASHPHALT AND DESIGNATED HELIPORT SURFACE LANDING AREA. TAIL ROTOR SEPERATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND A HARD LANDING RESULTED SPREADING THE SKIDS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.