What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The scenario began as the helicopter was in a hover just beginning to lower the water bucket into a large pond. The pilot reported losing lift and slipped to the right to gain clean air. As the pilot applied additional collective control, the low rotor speed alarm sounded a glance at the two N1 gauges showed #1 to be "0" and #2 to be in the high 90'S. The pilot then made two attempts to release the bucket (being successful on the second) and then executed an autorotation maneuver resulting in a landing in the soft mud adjacent to the pond. The helicopter recieved damage to the rotor blades as well as substantial damage to the belly of the acft.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE SCENARIO BEGAN AS THE HELICOPTER WAS IN A HOVER JUST BEGINNING TO LOWER THE WATER BUCKET INTO A LARGE POND. THE PILOT REPORTED LOSING LIFT AND SLIPPED TO THE RIGHT TO GAIN CLEAN AIR. AS THE PILOT APPLIED ADDITIONAL COLLECTIVE CONTROL, THE LOW ROTOR SPEED ALARM SOUNDED A GLANCE AT THE TWO N1 GAUGES SHOWED #1 TO BE "0" AND #2 TO BE IN THE HIGH 90'S. THE PILOT THEN MADE TWO ATTEMPTS TO RELEASE THE BUCKET (BEING SUCCESSFUL ON THE SECOND) AND THEN EXECUTED AN AUTOROTATION MANEUVER RESULTING IN A LANDING IN THE SOFT MUD ADJACENT TO THE POND. THE HELICOPTER RECIEVED DAMAGE TO THE ROTOR BLADES AS WELL AS SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE BELLY OF THE ACFT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.