What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On April 14, 2002, at 1545 eastern daylight time a Hughes OH-6 helicopter, N56TP, registered to the city of Tampa police department as public use, and operated by the commercial helicopter pilot, collided with water near the south edge of macdill air force base, Tampa, Florida. The flight was operated under provisions of title 14, CFR part 91, and visual flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local patrol flight. The helicopter sustained substantial damage and the pilot received minor injuries and the passenger received serious injuries. The flight originated from Tampa international airport at 1515. According to the pilot, while on routine patrol around the macdill air force base, he lost tail rotor effectiveness and executed an emergency landing. Upon impact with the water the helicopter rolled onto it side substantially damaging the main rotor blades, the belly of the helicopter and the tail boom. (-23) Tampa pd helicopter departed tpa @ approx 15:30L to do routine patrol of macdill afb perimeter. At approx 1545L Tampa tower received message tha t the helicopter had crashed in the water west of macdill afb marina. The aircraft was located on the south edge of the base west of the macdill marina. The pilot and observer were extracted to Tampa general hospital with minor injuries, then released.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON APRIL 14, 2002, AT 1545 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME A HUGHES OH-6 HELICOPTER, N56TP, REGISTERED TO THE CITY OF TAMPA POLICE DEPARTMENT AS PUBLIC USE, AND OPERATED BY THE COMMERCIAL HELICOPTER PILOT, COLLIDED WITH WATER NEAR THE SOUTH EDGE OF MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, TAMPA, FLORIDA. THE FLIGHT WAS OPERATED UNDER PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14, CFR PART 91, AND VISUAL FLIGHT RULES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE LOCAL PATROL FLIGHT. THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND THE PILOT RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES AND THE PASSENGER RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM TAMPA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AT 1515. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, WHILE ON ROUTINE PATROL AROUND THE MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, HE LOST TAIL ROTOR EFFECTIVENESS AND EXECUTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING. UPON IMPACT WITH THE WATER THE HELICOPTER ROLLED ONTO IT SIDE SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGING THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES, THE BELLY OF THE HELICOPTER AND THE TAIL BOOM. (-23) TAMPA PD HELICOPTER DEPARTED TPA @ APPROX 15:30L TO DO ROUTINE PATROL OF MACDILL AFB PERIMETER. AT APPROX 1545L TAMPA TOWER RECEIVED MESSAGE THA T THE HELICOPTER HAD CRASHED IN THE WATER WEST OF MACDILL AFB MARINA. THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOCATED ON THE SOUTH EDGE OF THE BASE WEST OF THE MACDILL MARINA. THE PILOT AND OBSERVER WERE EXTRACTED TO TAMPA GENERAL HOSPITAL WITH MINOR INJURIES, THEN RELEASED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.