What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On March 11, 2007, at 1259 hawaiian standard time, a Mcdonnell Douglas 369FF helicopter, N911VC, operated by smoky mountain helicopters and doing business as inter-island helicopters inc., was destroyed by impact with trees and terrain in the town of Haena on the island of kauai, Hawaii, during a part 135 commercial air tour flight. The flight departed from the port allen airport (pak), hanapepe, Hawaii, on a 55-minute sightseeing tour of kauai. During cruise flight near tunnel beach in Haena, the tail rotor output shaft and the tail rotor blades separated from the tail rotor gearbox and fell into the ocean. The pilot executed an autorotation to a ymca campground that was located next to the beach. The pilot was not injured; however, the right front seat passenger was killed, and the three other passengers received serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a company flight plan was in effect.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON MARCH 11, 2007, AT 1259 HAWAIIAN STANDARD TIME, A MCDONNELL DOUGLAS 369FF HELICOPTER, N911VC, OPERATED BY SMOKY MOUNTAIN HELICOPTERS AND DOING BUSINESS AS INTER-ISLAND HELICOPTERS INC., WAS DESTROYED BY IMPACT WITH TREES AND TERRAIN IN THE TOWN OF HAENA ON THE ISLAND OF KAUAI, HAWAII, DURING A PART 135 COMMERCIAL AIR TOUR FLIGHT. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED FROM THE PORT ALLEN AIRPORT (PAK), HANAPEPE, HAWAII, ON A 55-MINUTE SIGHTSEEING TOUR OF KAUAI. DURING CRUISE FLIGHT NEAR TUNNEL BEACH IN HAENA, THE TAIL ROTOR OUTPUT SHAFT AND THE TAIL ROTOR BLADES SEPARATED FROM THE TAIL ROTOR GEARBOX AND FELL INTO THE OCEAN. THE PILOT EXECUTED AN AUTOROTATION TO A YMCA CAMPGROUND THAT WAS LOCATED NEXT TO THE BEACH. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED; HOWEVER, THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT PASSENGER WAS KILLED, AND THE THREE OTHER PASSENGERS RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND A COMPANY FLIGHT PLAN WAS IN EFFECT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.