What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On August 27, 2026, at approximately 02:08 MDT, privacy data omitted, the PIC of privacy data omitted, departed glacier park international (kgpi), Montana, with radio equipment and four people onboard. The destination was a ridge line radio repeater site near Bigfork, MT. The PIC was attempting to land in a confined, pinnacle lz. While reducing collective with skids on the surface, rotor blades drooped down and contacted the top of a small tree. Aircraft was lifted back into a hover and the operation was aborted.
Aircraft was returned to kgpi for evaluation. No abnormal vibrations or changes to flight characteristics occurred during return to airport. Inspection revealed an approximate 5 inch delamination on the trailing edge of one rotor blade. No other indications of a blade strike were present on damaged and additional blades.
Post lz examination revealed the top of a small alpine tree had been removed. Approximate diameter was one inch.
As the FAA filed it
ON AUGUST 27, 2026, AT APPROXIMATELY 02:08 MDT, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, THE PIC OF ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, DEPARTED GLACIER PARK INTERNATIONAL (KGPI), MONTANA, WITH RADIO EQUIPMENT AND FOUR PEOPLE ONBOARD. THE DESTINATION WAS A RIDGE LINE RADIO REPEATER SITE NEAR BIGFORK, MT. THE PIC WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND IN A CONFINED, PINNACLE LZ. WHILE REDUCING COLLECTIVE WITH SKIDS ON THE SURFACE, ROTOR BLADES DROOPED DOWN AND CONTACTED THE TOP OF A SMALL TREE. AIRCRAFT WAS LIFTED BACK INTO A HOVER AND THE OPERATION WAS ABORTED.
AIRCRAFT WAS RETURNED TO KGPI FOR EVALUATION. NO ABNORMAL VIBRATIONS OR CHANGES TO FLIGHT CHARACTERISTICS OCCURRED DURING RETURN TO AIRPORT. INSPECTION REVEALED AN APPROXIMATE 5 INCH DELAMINATION ON THE TRAILING EDGE OF ONE ROTOR BLADE. NO OTHER INDICATIONS OF A BLADE STRIKE WERE PRESENT ON DAMAGED AND ADDITIONAL BLADES.
POST LZ EXAMINATION REVEALED THE TOP OF A SMALL ALPINE TREE HAD BEEN REMOVED. APPROXIMATE DIAMETER WAS ONE INCH.