What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On September 20, 2024, at approximately 0007 hours, an air ambulance helicopter carrying a pilot and two passengers experienced a tail strike and hard landing at Canandaigua Airport (iua) in Canandaigua, NY. The incident occurred in a grassy field near the hangar. Weather conditions at the time of the accident were visual flight rules (VFR), and the pilot was flying using night vision goggles (NVG).
The evidence indicates that during the approach, the helicopter’s tail struck the ground, leading to a loss of control and resulting in a hard landing. There was considerable damage to the helicopter and no injuries to the pilot or 2 passengers.
As the FAA filed it
ON SEPTEMBER 20, 2024, AT APPROXIMATELY 0007 HOURS, AN AIR AMBULANCE HELICOPTER CARRYING A PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS EXPERIENCED A TAIL STRIKE AND HARD LANDING AT CANANDAIGUA AIRPORT (IUA) IN CANANDAIGUA, NY. THE INCIDENT OCCURRED IN A GRASSY FIELD NEAR THE HANGAR. WEATHER CONDITIONS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WERE VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR), AND THE PILOT WAS FLYING USING NIGHT VISION GOGGLES (NVG).
THE EVIDENCE INDICATES THAT DURING THE APPROACH, THE HELICOPTER’S TAIL STRUCK THE GROUND, LEADING TO A LOSS OF CONTROL AND RESULTING IN A HARD LANDING. THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE TO THE HELICOPTER AND NO INJURIES TO THE PILOT OR 2 PASSENGERS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.