What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On September 22, 2010, at about 1545 local time, a new york police department (nypd) Bell 412EP helicopter, registration number N412PD, serial number (sn) 36515, experienced a power loss at about 300-350 feet above the water while enroute from jfk international airport back to Floyd Bennett Field (heliport - NY22) and crashed into jamaica bay about 50 yards northeast of its intended landing zone. According to the flightcrew, a loud bang was heard and the helicopter started to descend and about 10 seconds later the helicopter impacted the water. No audible or visual engine or transmission alerts or warnings were noted prior to the event. After the helicopter impacted the water, the floats automatically inflated and the helicopter stayed afloat until it was recovered and hoisted onto the dock. According to pilot, the engines continued to operate after the water impact even though the both airframe fuel boost pumps were switched off and the throttle was rolled to the off position. The engines eventually shutdown after all the useable fuel in the fuel line were consumed. The six occupants that were onboard sustained minor injuries. The flight was being operated as a public use flight.
As the FAA filed it
ON SEPTEMBER 22, 2010, AT ABOUT 1545 LOCAL TIME, A NEW YORK POLICE DEPARTMENT (NYPD) BELL 412EP HELICOPTER, REGISTRATION NUMBER N412PD, SERIAL NUMBER (SN) 36515, EXPERIENCED A POWER LOSS AT ABOUT 300-350 FEET ABOVE THE WATER WHILE ENROUTE FROM JFK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT BACK TO FLOYD BENNETT FIELD (HELIPORT - NY22) AND CRASHED INTO JAMAICA BAY ABOUT 50 YARDS NORTHEAST OF ITS INTENDED LANDING ZONE. ACCORDING TO THE FLIGHTCREW, A LOUD BANG WAS HEARD AND THE HELICOPTER STARTED TO DESCEND AND ABOUT 10 SECONDS LATER THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE WATER. NO AUDIBLE OR VISUAL ENGINE OR TRANSMISSION ALERTS OR WARNINGS WERE NOTED PRIOR TO THE EVENT. AFTER THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE WATER, THE FLOATS AUTOMATICALLY INFLATED AND THE HELICOPTER STAYED AFLOAT UNTIL IT WAS RECOVERED AND HOISTED ONTO THE DOCK. ACCORDING TO PILOT, THE ENGINES CONTINUED TO OPERATE AFTER THE WATER IMPACT EVEN THOUGH THE BOTH AIRFRAME FUEL BOOST PUMPS WERE SWITCHED OFF AND THE THROTTLE WAS ROLLED TO THE OFF POSITION. THE ENGINES EVENTUALLY SHUTDOWN AFTER ALL THE USEABLE FUEL IN THE FUEL LINE WERE CONSUMED. THE SIX OCCUPANTS THAT WERE ONBOARD SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE FLIGHT WAS BEING OPERATED AS A PUBLIC USE FLIGHT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.