What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On March 13, 2011, at approximately 09:31, a Sikorsky S-58 helicopter, N33602, owned by heli flite, inc. and operated by aris helicopters, a 14CFR133 operator (caxl) based at the riverside airport, riverside, California, crashed while lifting an air purification unit from the third story roof of a building owned by Raytheon corp. located at 2000 El Segundo blvd., El Segundo CA. Aris helicopters was performing this operation as approved by the FAA los angeles flight standards district office on a congested area plan (lift plan). Aris ground crew personnel witnessed the accident and stated that the helicopter lifted the load (4,000-4,500 lbs.) Approximately two feet above the roof's surface via a long line attached to the helicopter's cargo hook. As they heard what sounded like a reduction in power from at least one of the two engines, the load settled back onto the roof's surface. The ground crew further stated that the pilot said (via fm radio) he was releasing the load, but it appears the load did not release. The helicopter proceeded eastbound towards the parking lot that was designated as the emergency landing area. When the helicopter reached the end of the long line, which was still attached to the load, it pitched nose down, striking the roof of the building. The helicopter then went over the side of the building, through a tree and came to rest next to the building at ground level. Initially, a small fire erupted. The unconscious pilot was removed from the burning helicopter by aris ground crew personnel just prior to the helicopter being engulfed in flames. The helicopter was destroyed except for the nose/engine compartment area and the vertical fin. Several offices and the outer building structure were severely damaged by fire and water. The lone occupant, the pilot, was transported to the hospital and reported in serious condition.
As the FAA filed it
ON MARCH 13, 2011, AT APPROXIMATELY 09:31, A SIKORSKY S-58 HELICOPTER, N33602, OWNED BY HELI FLITE, INC. AND OPERATED BY ARIS HELICOPTERS, A 14CFR133 OPERATOR (CAXL) BASED AT THE RIVERSIDE AIRPORT, RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA, CRASHED WHILE LIFTING AN AIR PURIFICATION UNIT FROM THE THIRD STORY ROOF OF A BUILDING OWNED BY RAYTHEON CORP. LOCATED AT 2000 EL SEGUNDO BLVD., EL SEGUNDO CA. ARIS HELICOPTERS WAS PERFORMING THIS OPERATION AS APPROVED BY THE FAA LOS ANGELES FLIGHT STANDARDS DISTRICT OFFICE ON A CONGESTED AREA PLAN (LIFT PLAN). ARIS GROUND CREW PERSONNEL WITNESSED THE ACCIDENT AND STATED THAT THE HELICOPTER LIFTED THE LOAD (4,000-4,500 LBS.) APPROXIMATELY TWO FEET ABOVE THE ROOF'S SURFACE VIA A LONG LINE ATTACHED TO THE HELICOPTER'S CARGO HOOK. AS THEY HEARD WHAT SOUNDED LIKE A REDUCTION IN POWER FROM AT LEAST ONE OF THE TWO ENGINES, THE LOAD SETTLED BACK ONTO THE ROOF'S SURFACE. THE GROUND CREW FURTHER STATED THAT THE PILOT SAID (VIA FM RADIO) HE WAS RELEASING THE LOAD, BUT IT APPEARS THE LOAD DID NOT RELEASE. THE HELICOPTER PROCEEDED EASTBOUND TOWARDS THE PARKING LOT THAT WAS DESIGNATED AS THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA. WHEN THE HELICOPTER REACHED THE END OF THE LONG LINE, WHICH WAS STILL ATTACHED TO THE LOAD, IT PITCHED NOSE DOWN, STRIKING THE ROOF OF THE BUILDING. THE HELICOPTER THEN WENT OVER THE SIDE OF THE BUILDING, THROUGH A TREE AND CAME TO REST NEXT TO THE BUILDING AT GROUND LEVEL.INITIALLY, A SMALL FIRE ERUPTED. THE UNCONSCIOUS PILOT WAS REMOVED FROM THE BURNING HELICOPTER BY ARIS GROUND CREW PERSONNEL JUST PRIOR TO THE HELICOPTER BEING ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE HELICOPTER WAS DESTROYED EXCEPT FOR THE NOSE/ENGINE COMPARTMENT AREA AND THE VERTICAL FIN. SEVERAL OFFICES AND THE OUTER BUILDING STRUCTURE WERE SEVERELY DAMAGED BY FIRE AND WATER. THE LONE OCCUPANT, THE PILOT, WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL AND REPORTED IN SERIOUS CONDITION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.