What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On 01/04/07, at approximately 1255 PST, a Hughes 369D helicopter, N1088G, owned and operated by the pilot privacy data omitted of hi line helicopters, experienced a loss of power as it was coming to a hover while performing external load work (slinging shake bolts) in snowing conditions. The aircraft dropped vertically approx. 130' crashing onto a stump in the clear cut area the aircraft was working. The aircraft received substantial damage, the pilot was seriously injured. After the accident the pilot stated, while maneuvering the aircraft he saw a large amount of snow and ice slide from the front of the canopy back into the air inlet area and the engine flamed out. During the on site accident investigation inspectors from this office recorded the position of the engine anti-ice lever in the off position. Phone conversation with the pilot and this office on 01/10/2007, the pilot stated he had the engine anti-ice was on, approx. 25 gals. Of fuel, and flown approx. 5 to 8 minutes on the fuel load before the accident. Aircraft flight manual limitations permits flight operations in falling and or blowing snow when the auto reignition and engine epo is installed and working. N1088G was in compliance with this limitation.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON 01/04/07, AT APPROXIMATELY 1255 PST, A HUGHES 369D HELICOPTER, N1088G, OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA ^ OF HI LINE HELICOPTERS, EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER AS IT WAS COMING TO A HOVER WHILE PERFORMING EXTERNAL LOAD WORK (SLINGING SHAKE BOLTS) IN SNOWING CONDITIONS. THE AIRCRAFT DROPPED VERTICALLY APPROX. 130' CRASHING ONTO A STUMP IN THE CLEAR CUT AREA THE AIRCRAFT WAS WORKING. THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, THE PILOT WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED. AFTER THE ACCIDENT THE PILOT STATED, WHILE MANEUVERING THE AIRCRAFT HE SAW A LARGE AMOUNT OF SNOW AND ICE SLIDE FROM THE FRONT OF THE CANOPY BACK INTO THE AIR INLET AREA AND THE ENGINE FLAMED OUT. DURING THE ON SITE ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION INSPECTORS FROM THIS OFFICE RECORDED THE POSITION OF THE ENGINE ANTI-ICE LEVER IN THE OFF POSITION. PHONE CONVERSATION WITH THE PILOT AND THIS OFFICE ON 01/10/2007, THE PILOT STATED HE HAD THE ENGINE ANTI-ICE WAS ON, APPROX. 25 GALS. OF FUEL, AND FLOWN APPROX. 5 TO 8 MINUTES ON THE FUEL LOAD BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. AIRCRAFT FLIGHT MANUAL LIMITATIONS PERMITS FLIGHT OPERATIONS IN FALLING AND OR BLOWING SNOW WHEN THE AUTO REIGNITION AND ENGINE EPO IS INSTALLED AND WORKING. N1088G WAS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THIS LIMITATION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.