What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Aircraft crashed into rocky gorge reservoir, coming to rest in 4 feet of water. The pilot/owner was seriously injured with neck and back fractures. Passenger received only minor injuries. Damage was substantial. The pilot reported mechanical failure. He stated that he had experienced a severe vibration shortly after takeoff. He said he was unable to maintain directional control and couldn't hold altitude. The aircraft was only about 300' AGL at the time of the incident. The pilot initiated auto rotation towards the lake and said that just before he hit the engine reignited at a high power setting. The aircraft hit in almost straight and level configuration and the main rotor system damage was consistent with a high energy water impact. The aircraft was disassembled with assistance from airframe and engine manufacturers. The problem appears to have been internal to the tail rotor gearbox. Gearbox and associated parts sent to boeing/Hughes for further evaluation. Preliminary pending results of teardown.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AIRCRAFT CRASHED INTO ROCKY GORGE RESERVOIR, COMING TO REST IN 4 FEET OF WATER. THE PILOT/OWNER WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED WITH NECK AND BACK FRACTURES. PASSENGER RECEIVED ONLY MINOR INJURIES. DAMAGE WAS SUBSTANTIAL. THE PILOT REPORTED MECHANICAL FAILURE. HE STATED THAT HE HAD EXPERIENCED A SEVERE VIBRATION SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF. HE SAID HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND COULDN'T HOLD ALTITUDE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS ONLY ABOUT 300' AGL AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. THE PILOT INITIATED AUTO ROTATION TOWARDS THE LAKE AND SAID THAT JUST BEFORE HE HIT THE ENGINE REIGNITED AT A HIGH POWER SETTING. THE AIRCRAFT HIT IN ALMOST STRAIGHT AND LEVEL CONFIGURATION AND THE MAIN ROTOR SYSTEM DAMAGE WAS CONSISTENT WITH A HIGH ENERGY WATER IMPACT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DISASSEMBLED WITH ASSISTANCE FROM AIRFRAME AND ENGINE MANUFACTURERS. THE PROBLEM APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN INTERNAL TO THE TAIL ROTOR GEARBOX. GEARBOX AND ASSOCIATED PARTS SENT TO BOEING/HUGHES FOR FURTHER EVALUATION. PRELIMINARY PENDING RESULTS OF TEARDOWN.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.