What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot took off from glacier setting with snow covered terrain and flat light conditions. Upon lift up to about 50'AGL facing eastward, pilot initiated left pedal turn toward west and to visually referece the ridgeline. Midway through turn, with eyes inside flight deck, pilot noticed illumnation of "full throttle" caution light. After making control inputs, when eyes went back outside, visual refereces were lost. Helicopter skids bounced off surface. Upon 2nd skid contact with ground, helicopter slid on nose and front of skids before aircraft rolled left and came to rest on left side.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT TOOK OFF FROM GLACIER SETTING WITH SNOW COVERED TERRAIN AND FLAT LIGHT CONDITIONS. UPON LIFT UP TO ABOUT 50'AGL FACING EASTWARD, PILOT INITIATED LEFT PEDAL TURN TOWARD WEST AND TO VISUALLY REFERECE THE RIDGELINE. MIDWAY THROUGH TURN, WITH EYES INSIDE FLIGHT DECK, PILOT NOTICED ILLUMNATION OF "FULL THROTTLE" CAUTION LIGHT. AFTER MAKING CONTROL INPUTS, WHEN EYES WENT BACK OUTSIDE, VISUAL REFERECES WERE LOST. HELICOPTER SKIDS BOUNCED OFF SURFACE. UPON 2ND SKID CONTACT WITH GROUND, HELICOPTER SLID ON NOSE AND FRONT OF SKIDS BEFORE AIRCRAFT ROLLED LEFT AND CAME TO REST ON LEFT SIDE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.