What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On September 1, 1999, about 1000 hours local ship time, a Hughes 369HS, N42054, crashed into the Pacific Ocean about 1200 miles southeast of guam under unknown circumstances. The helicopter, operated by hoffman helicopters, inc., of yona, guam, was destroyed. The commercial pilot and non-rated pilot observer were fatally injured. The local aerial observation flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91 and had originated from a fishing vessel about 0950. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The captain of the fishing vessel reported that the pilot and observer had been conducting tuna spotting operations and had flown for about 1 hour 20 minutes earlier that morning. He stated that he had established radio communication with the pilot at the beginning of the accident flight. He realized the helicopter had crashed when the pilot stopped responding to radio communication. The ship was approximately 30 miles away from the helicopter at that time. When the ship arrived at the accident site, the crewmembers located the helicopter's floats, seats, and the engine. They did not locate any other components. The captain took note of the weather conditions at the accident site. He stated that the winds were calm, the sky was clear with no ceiling, and visibility was 30 miles or greater. He reported that the sea was flat and clear. The captain reported that the ship had departed from guam on August 25, 1999. Since then, the pilot had flown three flights with a total of about 4 flight hours. The captain stated that the pilot did not mention any mechanical problems with the helicopter. He further stated that the helicopter was equipped with three radios that worked from either the pilot or observer side. The helicopter was not equipped with dual flight controls. (-23)helicopter was being used as a fish spotter and crashed under unknown circumstances. The pilot and observer were fatally injured. Wind was calm, sea flat, visibility 30 miles plus. A/c was destroyed.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON SEPTEMBER 1, 1999, ABOUT 1000 HOURS LOCAL SHIP TIME, A HUGHES 369HS, N42054, CRASHED INTO THE PACIFIC OCEAN ABOUT 1200 MILES SOUTHEAST OF GUAM UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES. THE HELICOPTER, OPERATED BY HOFFMAN HELICOPTERS, INC., OF YONA, GUAM, WAS DESTROYED. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND NON-RATED PILOT OBSERVER WERE FATALLY INJURED. THE LOCAL AERIAL OBSERVATION FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91 AND HAD ORIGINATED FROM A FISHING VESSEL ABOUT 0950. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE CAPTAIN OF THE FISHING VESSEL REPORTED THAT THE PILOT AND OBSERVER HAD BEEN CONDUCTING TUNA SPOTTING OPERATIONS AND HAD FLOWN FOR ABOUT 1 HOUR 20 MINUTES EARLIER THAT MORNING. HE STATED THAT HE HAD ESTABLISHED RADIO COMMUNICATION WITH THE PILOT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT. HE REALIZED THE HELICOPTER HAD CRASHED WHEN THE PILOT STOPPED RESPONDING TO RADIO COMMUNICATION. THE SHIP WAS APPROXIMATELY 30 MILES AWAY FROM THE HELICOPTER AT THAT TIME. WHEN THE SHIP ARRIVED AT THE ACCIDENT SITE, THE CREWMEMBERS LOCATED THE HELICOPTER'S FLOATS, SEATS, AND THE ENGINE. THEY DID NOT LOCATE ANY OTHER COMPONENTS. THE CAPTAIN TOOK NOTE OF THE WEATHER CONDITIONS AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. HE STATED THAT THE WINDS WERE CALM, THE SKY WAS CLEAR WITH NO CEILING, AND VISIBILITY WAS 30 MILES OR GREATER. HE REPORTED THAT THE SEA WAS FLAT AND CLEAR. THE CAPTAIN REPORTED THAT THE SHIP HAD DEPARTED FROM GUAM ON AUGUST 25, 1999. SINCE THEN, THE PILOT HAD FLOWN THREE FLIGHTS WITH A TOTAL OF ABOUT 4 FLIGHT HOURS. THE CAPTAIN STATED THAT THE PILOT DID NOT MENTION ANY MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE HELICOPTER. HE FURTHER STATED THAT THE HELICOPTER WAS EQUIPPED WITH THREE RADIOS THAT WORKED FROM EITHER THE PILOT OR OBSERVER SIDE. THE HELICOPTER WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH DUAL FLIGHT CONTROLS. (-23)HELICOPTER WAS BEING USED AS A FISH SPOTTER AND CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES. THE PILOT AND OBSERVER WERE FATALLY INJURED. WIND WAS CALM, SEA FLAT, VISIBILITY 30 MILES PLUS. A/C WAS DESTROYED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.