Incident at Lynn Lake, 25NM SW, Manitoba

1997-03-21: The Bell 206B Jetranger helicopter had landed on a temporary helipad during fire-fighting operations. The landing pad, which was situated on a lake shoreline, consisted of two logs with the rear log supported on top of small support cross logs at each end. After the helicopter landed with the landing gear skids across the two logs, the single passenger departed and the pilot remained at the controls with the aircraft running awaiting the passenger's return. Suddenly the rear of the aircraft dropped and the pilot immediately tried to correct with cyclic. However there was a loud bang and significant vibration so the pilot shut down the engine. The rear log had slipped off the supports and the tail rotor contacted the water resulting in the loss of a tail rotor blade and significant damage to the tail boom. The pilot remained uninjured.