What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Hovering low altitude to note settleing with power had commenced. Impacted ground. (.4)the helicopter started to descend from a stabilized 20-foot hover, and rotate to the right after striking a bird of unknown type. When the descent and yaw continued, the pilot entered an autorotation. The helicopter landed in the water in a level attitude, but rolled onto to its left side in approximately 4 feet of water. (-23)the pilot failed to recognize the onset of settling with power conditions in a timely manner. The helicopter was hovering at an altitufe of about 15 feet thus leaving little time to recover form the settling with power phenomenon.
As the FAA filed it
HOVERING LOW ALTITUDE TO NOTE SETTLEING WITH POWER HAD COMMENCED. IMPACTED GROUND. (.4)THE HELICOPTER STARTED TO DESCEND FROM A STABILIZED 20-FOOT HOVER, AND ROTATE TO THE RIGHT AFTER STRIKING A BIRD OF UNKNOWN TYPE. WHEN THE DESCENT AND YAW CONTINUED, THE PILOT ENTERED AN AUTOROTATION. THE HELICOPTER LANDED IN THE WATER IN A LEVEL ATTITUDE, BUT ROLLED ONTO TO ITS LEFT SIDE IN APPROXIMATELY 4 FEET OF WATER. (-23)THE PILOT FAILED TO RECOGNIZE THE ONSET OF SETTLING WITH POWER CONDITIONS IN A TIMELY MANNER. THE HELICOPTER WAS HOVERING AT AN ALTITUFE OF ABOUT 15 FEET THUS LEAVING LITTLE TIME TO RECOVER FORM THE SETTLING WITH POWER PHENOMENON.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.