What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On July 17, 2006 at 1155 hours N606TV departed city avenue heliport enroute to Northeast Philadelphia Airport (pne) on an aerial photo assignment. They were preparing to orbit at 1000 feet to start filming when the hydraulic caution light momentarily illuminated along with the sounding of the audio horn. Pilot stated he knew that he had an impending hydraulic failure so he headed to pne and informed the tower they had a hydraulic failure and would like to land on runway 33. He had full control of the aircraft flight controls system and approximately one mile out, the hydraulic caution light fully illuminated and the audio horn sounded. He then experienced a complete loss of the flight controls and completed the emergency procedure iaw operator's manual. The helicopter landed without further difficulties.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON JULY 17, 2006 AT 1155 HOURS N606TV DEPARTED CITY AVENUE HELIPORT ENROUTE TO NORTHEAST PHILADELPHIA AIRPORT (PNE) ON AN AERIAL PHOTO ASSIGNMENT. THEY WERE PREPARING TO ORBIT AT 1000 FEET TO START FILMING WHEN THE HYDRAULIC CAUTION LIGHT MOMENTARILY ILLUMINATED ALONG WITH THE SOUNDING OF THE AUDIO HORN. PILOT STATED HE KNEW THAT HE HAD AN IMPENDING HYDRAULIC FAILURE SO HE HEADED TO PNE AND INFORMED THE TOWER THEY HAD A HYDRAULIC FAILURE AND WOULD LIKE TO LAND ON RUNWAY 33. HE HAD FULL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT FLIGHT CONTROLS SYSTEM AND APPROXIMATELY ONE MILE OUT, THE HYDRAULIC CAUTION LIGHT FULLY ILLUMINATED AND THE AUDIO HORN SOUNDED. HE THEN EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE LOSS OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS AND COMPLETED THE EMERGENCY PROCEDURE IAW OPERATOR'S MANUAL. THE HELICOPTER LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER DIFFICULTIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.