What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On July 10, 2002, about 1615 eastern standard time, a sikorski S-58ET helicopter, N580US, piloted by a commercial pilot, was substantially damaged when it struck powerlines and subsequently impacted into Brookville lake, Brookville, Indiana. The helicopter was maneuvering at low altitude when the accident occurred. The 14 CFR part 91 positioning flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The pilot and one passenger received serious injuries. A second passenger was fatally injured. The flight originated from indianapolis, Indiana, and was bound for an undetermined destination in Ohio. (-23) the helicopter crashed into Brookville reservoir, located in eastern Indiana. The helicopter struck a series of power lines that were across an area known as wolf creek. The power lines were located 124 feet above the water level. One power line was severed and the top high-tension support wire had witness marks indicating a strike as well. The helicopter came to rest in two pieces in 30 to 42 feet of water. There were three crewmembers on board, a pilot and two ground crew members. The pilot and other cockpit cre wmember escapes with injuries. The third crewmember was traveling in the lower compartment of the helicopter and was unable to exit. His body was recovered in the compartment approximately 18 hours later.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON JULY 10, 2002, ABOUT 1615 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A SIKORSKI S-58ET HELICOPTER, N580US, PILOTED BY A COMMERCIAL PILOT, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT STRUCK POWERLINES AND SUBSEQUENTLY IMPACTED INTO BROOKVILLE LAKE, BROOKVILLE, INDIANA. THE HELICOPTER WAS MANEUVERING AT LOW ALTITUDE WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE 14 CFR PART 91 POSITIONING FLIGHT WAS OPERATING IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WITHOUT A FLIGHT PLAN. THE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES. A SECOND PASSENGER WAS FATALLY INJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, AND WAS BOUND FOR AN UNDETERMINED DESTINATION IN OHIO. (-23) THE HELICOPTER CRASHED INTO BROOKVILLE RESERVOIR, LOCATED IN EASTERN INDIANA. THE HELICOPTER STRUCK A SERIES OF POWER LINES THAT WERE ACROSS AN AREA KNOWN AS WOLF CREEK. THE POWER LINES WERE LOCATED 124 FEET ABOVE THE WATER LEVEL. ONE POWER LINE WAS SEVERED AND THE TOP HIGH-TENSION SUPPORT WIRE HAD WITNESS MARKS INDICATING A STRIKE AS WELL. THE HELICOPTER CAME TO REST IN TWO PIECES IN 30 TO 42 FEET OF WATER. THERE WERE THREE CREWMEMBERS ON BOARD, A PILOT AND TWO GROUND CREW MEMBERS. THE PILOT AND OTHER COCKPIT CRE WMEMBER ESCAPES WITH INJURIES. THE THIRD CREWMEMBER WAS TRAVELING IN THE LOWER COMPARTMENT OF THE HELICOPTER AND WAS UNABLE TO EXIT. HIS BODY WAS RECOVERED IN THE COMPARTMENT APPROXIMATELY 18 HOURS LATER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.