What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 2/27/25 at approximately 7:30AM mt, a Robinson R-44 privacy data omitted, LLC was conducting an elk survey/capture operation when the gunner fell from the helicopter at an approximate altitude of 30 to 40 ft and a forward airspeed of approximately 20-30 mph. The gunner impacted the ground and sustained critical injuries. VFR conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. Damage sustained to the rotorcraft was separation of a vertical support tube attached to two horizontal support tubes behind the pilot and co-pilot stations. The pilot holds a commercial pilot certificate. The pilot reported that during an elk capture surveying flight, the non-flight crewmember fell out of the helicopter while maneuvering about 30 ft above ground level and was seriously injured. Post-flight examination of the helicopter revealed that the anchor point used to secure the supplemental restraint system to the helicopter had separated.
As the FAA filed it
ON 2/27/25 AT APPROXIMATELY 7:30AM MT, A ROBINSON R-44 ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, LLC WAS CONDUCTING AN ELK SURVEY/CAPTURE OPERATION WHEN THE GUNNER FELL FROM THE HELICOPTER AT AN APPROXIMATE ALTITUDE OF 30 TO 40 FT AND A FORWARD AIRSPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 20-30 MPH. THE GUNNER IMPACTED THE GROUND AND SUSTAINED CRITICAL INJURIES. VFR CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. DAMAGE SUSTAINED TO THE ROTORCRAFT WAS SEPARATION OF A VERTICAL SUPPORT TUBE ATTACHED TO TWO HORIZONTAL SUPPORT TUBES BEHIND THE PILOT AND CO-PILOT STATIONS. THE PILOT HOLDS A COMMERCIAL PILOT CERTIFICATE. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING AN ELK CAPTURE SURVEYING FLIGHT, THE NON-FLIGHT CREWMEMBER FELL OUT OF THE HELICOPTER WHILE MANEUVERING ABOUT 30 FT ABOVE GROUND LEVEL AND WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED. POST-FLIGHT EXAMINATION OF THE HELICOPTER REVEALED THAT THE ANCHOR POINT USED TO SECURE THE SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM TO THE HELICOPTER HAD SEPARATED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.