Incident Overview
During a caribou capture flight, a helicopter pilot was attempting to net a calf with a net gun. The calf suddenly turned right, and the pilot followed in a turn. The pilot determined that a shot was not feasible and intended to set up for another attempt. However, the gunner discharged the net gun. The pilot heard a loud bang and felt strong vibrations. The helicopter was landed without further incident.
Post-Flight Inspection
After landing, the pilot examined the main rotor blades and discovered substantial damage to one blade. The pilot attributed the damage to a net weight.
Mechanical Status
The chief pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.