What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) After cresting the northern rift zone of mauna loa volcano on the island of Hawaii, the pilot encountered low cloud condition on the side of the eastern slopes of mauna lao. The pilot initially attempted to parallel the cloud line northerly toward Hilo, but then was reported to have turned easterly. However, the pilot stated that he turned toward the west and then northwest. His report shows that his decision was based on the impression that he may have had an opening to go through weather there. After the helicopter continued for a while on a westerly direction, the pilot realized that this was not the right decision. As the weather forced the helicopter lower to the ground, the pilot elected to reverse course and took a northwest heading. At that point, the pilot stated that he lost lift and as he could not stop his aircraft from descending, opted to land the aircraft. However, the pilot reported a relatively gentle descent onto the rocks. Further investigation into this accident indicates that the aircraft had contacted rocks and bounced before landing, which was stated by passengers. As the aircraft performance did not allow for hige or hoge at this altitude, we expect that the pilot may have found himself in this situation, as he slowed down the aircraft due to worsening weather conditions. Several pictures showing impact marks on rocks corroborate the passenger statements that the helicopter hit rocks prior to settle onto the rocks. privacy data omitted The interview of the director of operations indicates that the lead pilot had aborted his tour and had proceeded toward Hilo to avoid going into areas of poor weather conditions; Mr. Lomonaco, which was reported two minutes behind the aircraft, opted to not follow him toward Hilo. There is no indication that the pilot's decision was in any case influenced by company internal policies, and after conducting its own investigation, the company notified us that they had taken action against this pilot and had relieved him of his duties.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AFTER CRESTING THE NORTHERN RIFT ZONE OF MAUNA LOA VOLCANO ON THE ISLAND OF HAWAII, THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED LOW CLOUD CONDITION ON THE SIDE OF THE EASTERN SLOPES OF MAUNA LAO. THE PILOT INITIALLY ATTEMPTED TO PARALLEL THE CLOUD LINE NORTHERLY TOWARD HILO, BUT THEN WAS REPORTED TO HAVE TURNED EASTERLY. HOWEVER, THE PILOT STATED THAT HE TURNED TOWARD THE WEST AND THEN NORTHWEST. HIS REPORT SHOWS THAT HIS DECISION WAS BASED ON THE IMPRESSION THAT HE MAY HAVE HAD AN OPENING TO GO THROUGH WEATHER THERE. AFTER THE HELICOPTER CONTINUED FOR A WHILE ON A WESTERLY DIRECTION, THE PILOT REALIZED THAT THIS WAS NOT THE RIGHT DECISION. AS THE WEATHER FORCED THE HELICOPTER LOWER TO THE GROUND, THE PILOT ELECTED TO REVERSE COURSE AND TOOK A NORTHWEST HEADING. AT THAT POINT, THE PILOT STATED THAT HE LOST LIFT AND AS HE COULD NOT STOP HIS AIRCRAFT FROM DESCENDING, OPTED TO LAND THE AIRCRAFT. HOWEVER, THE PILOT REPORTED A RELATIVELY GENTLE DESCENT ONTO THE ROCKS. FURTHER INVESTIGATION INTO THIS ACCIDENT INDICATES THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD CONTACTED ROCKS AND BOUNCED BEFORE LANDING, WHICH WAS STATED BY PASSENGERS. AS THE AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE DID NOT ALLOW FOR HIGE OR HOGE AT THIS ALTITUDE, WE EXPECT THAT THE PILOT MAY HAVE FOUND HIMSELF IN THIS SITUATION, AS HE SLOWED DOWN THE AIRCRAFT DUE TO WORSENING WEATHER CONDITIONS. SEVERAL PICTURES SHOWING IMPACT MARKS ON ROCKS CORROBORATE THE PASSENGER STATEMENTS THAT THE HELICOPTER HIT ROCKS PRIOR TO SETTLE ONTO THE ROCKS. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ THE INTERVIEW OF THE DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS INDICATES THAT THE LEAD PILOT HAD ABORTED HIS TOUR AND HAD PROCEEDED TOWARD HILO TO AVOID GOING INTO AREAS OF POOR WEATHER CONDITIONS; MR. LOMONACO, WHICH WAS REPORTED TWO MINUTES BEHIND THE AIRCRAFT, OPTED TO NOT FOLLOW HIM TOWARD HILO. THERE IS NO INDICATION THAT THE PILOT'S DECISION WAS IN ANY CASE INFLUENCED BY COMPANY INTERNAL POLICIES, AND AFTER CONDUCTING ITS OWN INVESTIGATION, THE COMPANY NOTIFIED US THAT THEY HAD TAKEN ACTION AGAINST THIS PILOT AND HAD RELIEVED HIM OF HIS DUTIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.