What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot stated the following:
"We landed at our cabin at 1100 in the morning, upon descending into the landing zone I completed a hover check." "The weather conditions at that time were blue sky and sunny no wind."
"At 1700 the temprature was 60* and wind blowing towards the cabin(lz)" there is only 1 exit to the lz towards the north." He thought conditions were satisfactory for a take-off. " the pilot and 2 passengers boarded the helicopter and took off, upon reaching tree top level, the wind caught the tail rotor and spun the helicopter around to the right, the low rotor light and horn came on and it fell to the ground from tree top level." The pilot stated he did not have enough power to make a successful take off.
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT STATED THE FOLLOWING:
"WE LANDED AT OUR CABIN AT 1100 IN THE MORNING, UPON DESCENDING INTO THE LANDING ZONE I COMPLETED A HOVER CHECK." "THE WEATHER CONDITIONS AT THAT TIME WERE BLUE SKY AND SUNNY NO WIND."
"AT 1700 THE TEMPRATURE WAS 60* AND WIND BLOWING TOWARDS THE CABIN(LZ)" THERE IS ONLY 1 EXIT TO THE LZ TOWARDS THE NORTH." HE THOUGHT CONDITIONS WERE SATISFACTORY FOR A TAKE-OFF. " THE PILOT AND 2 PASSENGERS BOARDED THE HELICOPTER AND TOOK OFF, UPON REACHING TREE TOP LEVEL, THE WIND CAUGHT THE TAIL ROTOR AND SPUN THE HELICOPTER AROUND TO THE RIGHT, THE LOW ROTOR LIGHT AND HORN CAME ON AND IT FELL TO THE GROUND FROM TREE TOP LEVEL." THE PILOT STATED HE DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH POWER TO MAKE A SUCCESSFUL TAKE OFF.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.