Incident Overview
During a firefighting operation, a helicopter pilot observed smoke from a forest fire indicating winds from the east. The pilot approached the fire from the north, circled counterclockwise, and began the final approach to the landing zone from the west. During the approach, the helicopter experienced a loss of tail rotor effectiveness, causing the aircraft to spin to the right.
Wind Information
A firefighter on the scene recorded the wind as coming from the southwest at 15 knots. This information was not communicated to the pilot. The helicopter was not equipped with a high altitude tail rotor kit.
Outcome
The helicopter's loss of tail rotor effectiveness resulted in an uncontrolled rotation. No further details about the outcome or injuries were provided in the source.