Accident Overview
A sheriff's pilot and a qualified observer were conducting a takeoff from a hover in a remote canyon under night visual meteorological conditions. The crew had been using the helicopter's searchlight within the preceding 15 minutes, leaving the pilot's eyes not dark-adapted. During the takeoff, the observer turned off the searchlight, and the pilot became disoriented.
Sequence of Events
The helicopter descended vertically, struck the ground, and bounced more than 100 feet rearward. The flight was a public-use agency operation. The agency's training program did not include night recurrent emergency procedure training, recurrent night physiology training, or crew resource management (CRM) training for night flight.
Contributing Factors
The source identifies the lack of specific night training as a deficiency but does not assign a probable cause. The pilot's disorientation due to loss of visual reference after the searchlight was turned off is described as the immediate precursor to the accident.
Investigation Findings
No information is provided regarding injuries, damage, or the type of helicopter involved. The investigation focused on the operational circumstances and training gaps.