Incident Overview
A helicopter pilot reported that during an early morning flight in dark conditions with good visibility, the helicopter climbed to about 300 feet above ground level. The pilot noticed that her iPad was not displaying her location. While attempting to resolve the issue, she inadvertently pushed the cyclic forward. When she redirected her attention outside, impact was imminent, and the helicopter struck trees.
Damage and Outcome
The helicopter came to rest on its left side, facing the opposite direction of travel. Substantial damage was sustained to the fuselage and both rotor systems. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Pilot Recommendation
In the recommendation section of the National Transportation Safety Board Pilot Aircraft Accident Report, the pilot noted that the accident could have been prevented by not allowing herself to become distracted during flight.