What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The winds were generally from the south, which due to obstructions meant that the departure would necessarily be to either the sw or se. Each departure direction was used on the two previous departures as the wind gradually shifted from se to sw. The winds were now out of the sw and favored that departure direction. Due to the obstructions noted above, the pilot positioned himself for a w/sw takeoff, which caused him to takeoff with more than normal wind to the left side of the aircraft. After clearing the edge of the platform the aircraft started a slow yaw to the right. The pilot put in full left pedal but it did not stop the turn which continued a full 360 degrees. As the second turn, with a faster rotation started, the pilot stated he didn't have tail rotor authority and lowered the collective and rolled the throttle to idle. The pilot deployed the emergency floats and the aircraft impacted the water in a slight tail low position with a right drift(spin). The aircraft rolled over immediately to the right but stayed afloat. The pilot egress through his broken out windscreen, the left seat pilot could not open her door under water so she egress through the pilot's open door, and the rear passenger egress through the left passenger door.
As the FAA filed it
THE WINDS WERE GENERALLY FROM THE SOUTH, WHICH DUE TO OBSTRUCTIONS MEANT THAT THE DEPARTURE WOULD NECESSARILY BE TO EITHER THE SW OR SE. EACH DEPARTURE DIRECTION WAS USED ON THE TWO PREVIOUS DEPARTURES AS THE WIND GRADUALLY SHIFTED FROM SE TO SW. THE WINDS WERE NOW OUT OF THE SW AND FAVORED THAT DEPARTURE DIRECTION. DUE TO THE OBSTRUCTIONS NOTED ABOVE, THE PILOT POSITIONED HIMSELF FOR A W/SW TAKEOFF, WHICH CAUSED HIM TO TAKEOFF WITH MORE THAN NORMAL WIND TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT. AFTER CLEARING THE EDGE OF THE PLATFORM THE AIRCRAFT STARTED A SLOW YAW TO THE RIGHT. THE PILOT PUT IN FULL LEFT PEDAL BUT IT DID NOT STOP THE TURN WHICH CONTINUED A FULL 360 DEGREES. AS THE SECOND TURN, WITH A FASTER ROTATION STARTED, THE PILOT STATED HE DIDN'T HAVE TAIL ROTOR AUTHORITY AND LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE AND ROLLED THE THROTTLE TO IDLE. THE PILOT DEPLOYED THE EMERGENCY FLOATS AND THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE WATER IN A SLIGHT TAIL LOW POSITION WITH A RIGHT DRIFT(SPIN). THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED OVER IMMEDIATELY TO THE RIGHT BUT STAYED AFLOAT. THE PILOT EGRESS THROUGH HIS BROKEN OUT WINDSCREEN, THE LEFT SEAT PILOT COULD NOT OPEN HER DOOR UNDER WATER SO SHE EGRESS THROUGH THE PILOT'S OPEN DOOR, AND THE REAR PASSENGER EGRESS THROUGH THE LEFT PASSENGER DOOR.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.