What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) According to the pilot, he was returning to pick up a crew at a remote site approximately fifteen sm* south of Shageluk. The aircraft crossed a 600 foot ridge, descended, completed a 180 degree left turn and rolled level. He believed his altitude was 200 feet above a small lake. The pilot looked down to locate the carburetor heat and then looked up and outside the aircraft just prior to striking the surface of the lake. He immediately pulled up on the collective but was unable to prevent the helicopter from hitting the surface of the lake. Estimated airspeed was 20 KIAS. The aircraft bounced back into the air and there was a loud bang. The engine failed and the rotor RPM bled off rapidly. The aircraft rolled first to the left and then to the right, coming to rest on the right side, partially submerged in 9 feet of water. *sm stands for statue miles.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE WAS RETURNING TO PICK UP A CREW AT A REMOTE SITE APPROXIMATELY FIFTEEN SM* SOUTH OF SHAGELUK. THE AIRCRAFT CROSSED A 600 FOOT RIDGE, DESCENDED, COMPLETED A 180 DEGREE LEFT TURN AND ROLLED LEVEL. HE BELIEVED HIS ALTITUDE WAS 200 FEET ABOVE A SMALL LAKE. THE PILOT LOOKED DOWN TO LOCATE THE CARBURETOR HEAT AND THEN LOOKED UP AND OUTSIDE THE AIRCRAFT JUST PRIOR TO STRIKING THE SURFACE OF THE LAKE. HE IMMEDIATELY PULLED UP ON THE COLLECTIVE BUT WAS UNABLE TO PREVENT THE HELICOPTER FROM HITTING THE SURFACE OF THE LAKE. ESTIMATED AIRSPEED WAS 20 KIAS. THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED BACK INTO THE AIR AND THERE WAS A LOUD BANG. THE ENGINE FAILED AND THE ROTOR RPM BLED OFF RAPIDLY. THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED FIRST TO THE LEFT AND THEN TO THE RIGHT, COMING TO REST ON THE RIGHT SIDE, PARTIALLY SUBMERGED IN 9 FEET OF WATER. *SM STANDS FOR STATUE MILES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.