What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Following a local sightseeing flight, the PIC was returning to his private landiing pad. Gusty winds were present in the cove where his helipad was located. According to pilot-rated witnesses, the helicopter was maneuvering slowly and then hovered approximately 200 feet from the pad at about 75 feet over the water when suddenly the helicopter began a series of uncommanded right turns about its vertical axis and began to lose altitude. The helicopter impacted the water, and the front windscreens shattered. Water entered the cabin area, and the helicopter began to sink. Four of the five occupants managed to egress; however, one passenger remained in the cabin and drowned. Post-accident investigation damage to the tail rotor drive shaft was consistent with torsional overstress indicative of a tail rotor striking a surface with power. A flight controls conformity check showed no pre-crash abnormalities. The aircraft was configured with seats and restraints for four occupants.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) FOLLOWING A LOCAL SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT, THE PIC WAS RETURNING TO HIS PRIVATE LANDIING PAD. GUSTY WINDS WERE PRESENT IN THE COVE WHERE HIS HELIPAD WAS LOCATED. ACCORDING TO PILOT-RATED WITNESSES, THE HELICOPTER WAS MANEUVERING SLOWLY AND THEN HOVERED APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET FROM THE PAD AT ABOUT 75 FEET OVER THE WATER WHEN SUDDENLY THE HELICOPTER BEGAN A SERIES OF UNCOMMANDED RIGHT TURNS ABOUT ITS VERTICAL AXIS AND BEGAN TO LOSE ALTITUDE. THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE WATER, AND THE FRONT WINDSCREENS SHATTERED. WATER ENTERED THE CABIN AREA, AND THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO SINK. FOUR OF THE FIVE OCCUPANTS MANAGED TO EGRESS; HOWEVER, ONE PASSENGER REMAINED IN THE CABIN AND DROWNED. POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION DAMAGE TO THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT WAS CONSISTENT WITH TORSIONAL OVERSTRESS INDICATIVE OF A TAIL ROTOR STRIKING A SURFACE WITH POWER. A FLIGHT CONTROLS CONFORMITY CHECK SHOWED NO PRE-CRASH ABNORMALITIES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS CONFIGURED WITH SEATS AND RESTRAINTS FOR FOUR OCCUPANTS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.