What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Departed helo pad rotor speed decayed due collective use. Unable pad. Autorotated into lake. Rotors struck cabin. (.4)the pilot stated he experienced a loss of rotor RPM during initial takeoff climb over a lake. He said he 'added max power & decreased collective; no increase in rotor RPM noted.' The helicopter was turned toward the shore, and the pilot lowered the collective pitch to increase rotor RPM, but with negative results. Subsequently, the helicopter settled into the water and sank. Examination of the engine control unit (ecu) (at an authorized repair facility) revealed the engine RPM steadily decreased as the percentage of throttle position was increased 'right up until impact, eleven (11) seconds from lift off.' An FAA inspector, who participated in the investigation, stated 'the pilot apparently applied too much collective pitch too soon and it appears he basically got behind the power curve.' (-23)the aircraft departed a private helopad with the pilot and one passenger under FAR 91 rules. 11 seconds after takeoff the aircraft crashed into the lake. Both the passenger and the pilot received minor injuries. The r otor RPM dropped below that necessary to sustain flight.
As the FAA filed it
DEPARTED HELO PAD ROTOR SPEED DECAYED DUE COLLECTIVE USE. UNABLE PAD. AUTOROTATED INTO LAKE. ROTORS STRUCK CABIN. (.4)THE PILOT STATED HE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ROTOR RPM DURING INITIAL TAKEOFF CLIMB OVER A LAKE. HE SAID HE 'ADDED MAX POWER & DECREASED COLLECTIVE; NO INCREASE IN ROTOR RPM NOTED.' THE HELICOPTER WAS TURNED TOWARD THE SHORE, AND THE PILOT LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE PITCH TO INCREASE ROTOR RPM, BUT WITH NEGATIVE RESULTS. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE HELICOPTER SETTLED INTO THE WATER AND SANK. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE CONTROL UNIT (ECU) (AT AN AUTHORIZED REPAIR FACILITY) REVEALED THE ENGINE RPM STEADILY DECREASED AS THE PERCENTAGE OF THROTTLE POSITION WAS INCREASED 'RIGHT UP UNTIL IMPACT, ELEVEN (11) SECONDS FROM LIFT OFF.' AN FAA INSPECTOR, WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE INVESTIGATION, STATED 'THE PILOT APPARENTLY APPLIED TOO MUCH COLLECTIVE PITCH TOO SOON AND IT APPEARS HE BASICALLY GOT BEHIND THE POWER CURVE.' (-23)THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED A PRIVATE HELOPAD WITH THE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER UNDER FAR 91 RULES. 11 SECONDS AFTER TAKEOFF THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED INTO THE LAKE. BOTH THE PASSENGER AND THE PILOT RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE R OTOR RPM DROPPED BELOW THAT NECESSARY TO SUSTAIN FLIGHT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.