What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On December 21, 2001, at approximately 1705 hours EST, N206HE, a bht 206B helicopter, while performing bambi bucket water pick-up operations, crashed during the hover lift out phase off the water of a dip pond at Awendaw, SC. The accident was caused from one stainless steel cable riser of the bambi bucket going over the right forward skid causing right lateral instability. The pilot stated that he put in left cyclic to overcome the right lateral instability. The cable riser broke through the right skid releasing the weight of the bambi bucket causing the aircraft to rapidly roll to the right. The main rotor and tail rotor struck the water, and the aircraft crashed. The aircraft sustained substantial damage. There were no injuries to the pilot. (.19) on December 21, 2001, at 1725 eastern standard time, a Bell 206, N206HE, collided with water while maneuvering for a water-dip at a private pond near Awendaw, south carolina. The contract public use flight was operated by the U.S. Forest service, and there was not a flight plan filed for this flight. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the flight. The pilot was not injured and the helicopter sustained substantial damage. The external load helicopter flight departed Mt. Pleasant, south carolina, at an undetermined time. According to the operator, the pilot had completed about 36 water-dips from the accident pond, and was attempting another water-dip when a cable from the sling assembly slipped over the toe of the right skid. As the pilot attempted to climb out from the pond, with the 600-pound external load, the helicopter rolled right and collided with the water.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON DECEMBER 21, 2001, AT APPROXIMATELY 1705 HOURS EST, N206HE, A BHT 206B HELICOPTER, WHILE PERFORMING BAMBI BUCKET WATER PICK-UP OPERATIONS, CRASHED DURING THE HOVER LIFT OUT PHASE OFF THE WATER OF A DIP POND AT AWENDAW, SC. THE ACCIDENT WAS CAUSED FROM ONE STAINLESS STEEL CABLE RISER OF THE BAMBI BUCKET GOING OVER THE RIGHT FORWARD SKID CAUSING RIGHT LATERAL INSTABILITY. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE PUT IN LEFT CYCLIC TO OVERCOME THE RIGHT LATERAL INSTABILITY. THE CABLE RISER BROKE THROUGH THE RIGHT SKID RELEASING THE WEIGHT OF THE BAMBI BUCKET CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO RAPIDLY ROLL TO THE RIGHT. THE MAIN ROTOR AND TAIL ROTOR STRUCK THE WATER, AND THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO THE PILOT. (.19) ON DECEMBER 21, 2001, AT 1725 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A BELL 206, N206HE, COLLIDED WITH WATER WHILE MANEUVERING FOR A WATER-DIP AT A PRIVATE POND NEAR AWENDAW, SOUTH CAROLINA. THE CONTRACT PUBLIC USE FLIGHT WAS OPERATED BY THE U.S. FOREST SERVICE, AND THERE WAS NOT A FLIGHT PLAN FILED FOR THIS FLIGHT. VISUAL WEATHER CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE FLIGHT. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED AND THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE EXTERNAL LOAD HELICOPTER FLIGHT DEPARTED MT. PLEASANT, SOUTH CAROLINA, AT AN UNDETERMINED TIME. ACCORDING TO THE OPERATOR, THE PILOT HAD COMPLETED ABOUT 36 WATER-DIPS FROM THE ACCIDENT POND, AND WAS ATTEMPTING ANOTHER WATER-DIP WHEN A CABLE FROM THE SLING ASSEMBLY SLIPPED OVER THE TOE OF THE RIGHT SKID. AS THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO CLIMB OUT FROM THE POND, WITH THE 600-POUND EXTERNAL LOAD, THE HELICOPTER ROLLED RIGHT AND COLLIDED WITH THE WATER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.