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19950826047849I

Incident · Substantial damage
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FAA incident report · Enstrm 280C · Alexandria Bay, NY · August 26, 1995

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
August 26, 1995 · 11:20 local
Place
Alexandria Bay, NY
Phase of flight
Unauth Low Level Opns
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
CGJWQ
Reported as
Enstrm 280C
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Narrative: on 8/26/95 at 11:20 am, a canadian registered Enstrom 280C helicopter, c-gjwa made an emergency landing in the st. lawrence river near Alexandria Bay, NY. The canadian pilot and two passengers were hired to photograph a boat parade on the river. Witnesses saw the helicopter operating close to the water when it settled into the water approximately 50 yards from shore. All three occupants exited the aircraft as it sank to the bottom in 8 feet of water. One passenger was treated for contusion to left side of face. No other injuries. The aircraft was recovered to the NY side of the river. The pilot stated that the engine manifold pressure dropped from 36" high to approximately 34" high. Preliminary investigation did not identify a reason for engine power loss. The NY state police arrested the pilot for violation of general business law, piloting an aircraft while under the influence of alcohol. Canadian authorities have agreed to investigate this incident as both the pilot and aircraft have returned to Canada. Transport Canada will inform this office of the investigation outcome.

As the FAA filed it

NARRATIVE: ON 8/26/95 AT 11:20 AM, A CANADIAN REGISTERED ENSTROM 280C HELICOPTER, C-GJWA MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN THE ST. LAWRENCE RIVER NEAR ALEXANDRIA BAY, NY. THE CANADIAN PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS WERE HIRED TO PHOTOGRAPH A BOAT PARADE ON THE RIVER. WITNESSES SAW THE HELICOPTER OPERATING CLOSE TO THE WATER WHEN IT SETTLED INTO THE WATER APPROXIMATELY 50 YARDS FROM SHORE. ALL THREE OCCUPANTS EXITED THE AIRCRAFT AS IT SANK TO THE BOTTOM IN 8 FEET OF WATER. ONE PASSENGER WAS TREATED FOR CONTUSION TO LEFT SIDE OF FACE. NO OTHER INJURIES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS RECOVERED TO THE NY SIDE OF THE RIVER. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE ENGINE MANIFOLD PRESSURE DROPPED FROM 36" HIGH TO APPROXIMATELY 34" HIGH. PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION DID NOT IDENTIFY A REASON FOR ENGINE POWER LOSS. THE NY STATE POLICE ARRESTED THE PILOT FOR VIOLATION OF GENERAL BUSINESS LAW, PILOTING AN AIRCRAFT WHILE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL. CANADIAN AUTHORITIES HAVE AGREED TO INVESTIGATE THIS INCIDENT AS BOTH THE PILOT AND AIRCRAFT HAVE RETURNED TO CANADA. TRANSPORT CANADA WILL INFORM THIS OFFICE OF THE INVESTIGATION OUTCOME.