Accident Details
According to the pilot, he was herding cattle with the helicopter. During this operation, he descended to an altitude of approximately 10 feet above ground level to encourage the cattle to turn and enter a pen. After the cattle entered the pen, the pilot maneuvered away and began to gain altitude to clear some nearby trees. The pilot believed the helicopter had cleared the trees; however, the tailrotor impacted a tree. The helicopter then began to spin. In response, the pilot reduced the throttle to stop the spin. Subsequently, the helicopter impacted the terrain.
Damage
The helicopter sustained substantial damage. Specifically, the main rotor blades, fuselage, and tailboom were damaged.