What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Atlanta control center reported a helicopter crashing into the ocean about .3 miles off of the coast of Oak Island, NC. It was reported that there were minor injuries and the aircraft had been towed to shore. The pilot was reported as privacy data omitted. I discovered that the aircraft had been recovered from the ocean and was located in youpon service center, a recovery lot in Oak Island. Upon arrival at youpon recovery lot I performed a general inspection of the aircraft during which I found identification and pilot certificates for both occupants, two life vests under the left seat, the airworthiness certificate and registration for the aircraft. Pilot log books were not found. I photographed documentation and some general shots of the aircraft. I continued the investigation photographing and documenting the following substantial damage:1.one main rotor blade is kinked approx. 2/3 distance from blade tip and has a 2" gash into the core, on the upper surface, approx. 12-15" from the tip.2.floor/sidewall structure and center console has separated from the main structure just forward of both seats.3.belly of aircraft is severely buckled and a large piece of skin is missing from below the floor, forward of the seats.4.floor (beam) structure is severely buckled and torn.5.upper skin and mast cover have several buckles and l/h skin seam behind left seat backrest is separated.6.firewall is severely buckled along the entire lower edge and approx. 8-10' up.7.left skid rear mount separated at bearing and skid assembly moved forward of structure and down approx 12".8.tail boom is buckled on lower side at attach point and main rotor impacted tail boom while rotating causing a cut approx. 50% thru boom and buckling.privacy data omitted Stated during this interview that he was the pilot when they left wilmington and they were "exchanging flight controls", when they were over the ocean off the coast of Oak Island he handed the controls over to privacy data omitted as she wanted to perform the autorotation. He stated privacy data omitted had asked several times if she could do an autorotation with a power recovery and he said he told her he didn't think that was a good idea.
As the FAA filed it
ATLANTA CONTROL CENTER REPORTED A HELICOPTER CRASHING INTO THE OCEAN ABOUT .3 MILES OFF OF THE COAST OF OAK ISLAND, NC. IT WAS REPORTED THAT THERE WERE MINOR INJURIES AND THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN TOWED TO SHORE. THE PILOT WAS REPORTED AS ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. I DISCOVERED THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN RECOVERED FROM THE OCEAN AND WAS LOCATED IN YOUPON SERVICE CENTER, A RECOVERY LOT IN OAK ISLAND. UPON ARRIVAL AT YOUPON RECOVERY LOT I PERFORMED A GENERAL INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT DURING WHICH I FOUND IDENTIFICATION AND PILOT CERTIFICATES FOR BOTH OCCUPANTS, TWO LIFE VESTS UNDER THE LEFT SEAT, THE AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE AND REGISTRATION FOR THE AIRCRAFT. PILOT LOG BOOKS WERE NOT FOUND. I PHOTOGRAPHED DOCUMENTATION AND SOME GENERAL SHOTS OF THE AIRCRAFT. I CONTINUED THE INVESTIGATION PHOTOGRAPHING AND DOCUMENTING THE FOLLOWING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE:1.ONE MAIN ROTOR BLADE IS KINKED APPROX. 2/3 DISTANCE FROM BLADE TIP AND HAS A 2" GASH INTO THE CORE, ON THE UPPER SURFACE, APPROX. 12-15" FROM THE TIP.2.FLOOR/SIDEWALL STRUCTURE AND CENTER CONSOLE HAS SEPARATED FROM THE MAIN STRUCTURE JUST FORWARD OF BOTH SEATS.3.BELLY OF AIRCRAFT IS SEVERELY BUCKLED AND A LARGE PIECE OF SKIN IS MISSING FROM BELOW THE FLOOR, FORWARD OF THE SEATS.4.FLOOR (BEAM) STRUCTURE IS SEVERELY BUCKLED AND TORN.5.UPPER SKIN AND MAST COVER HAVE SEVERAL BUCKLES AND L/H SKIN SEAM BEHIND LEFT SEAT BACKREST IS SEPARATED.6.FIREWALL IS SEVERELY BUCKLED ALONG THE ENTIRE LOWER EDGE AND APPROX. 8-10' UP.7.LEFT SKID REAR MOUNT SEPARATED AT BEARING AND SKID ASSEMBLY MOVED FORWARD OF STRUCTURE AND DOWN APPROX 12".8.TAIL BOOM IS BUCKLED ON LOWER SIDE AT ATTACH POINT AND MAIN ROTOR IMPACTED TAIL BOOM WHILE ROTATING CAUSING A CUT APPROX. 50% THRU BOOM AND BUCKLING.^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED DURING THIS INTERVIEW THAT HE WAS THE PILOT WHEN THEY LEFT WILMINGTON AND THEY WERE "EXCHANGING FLIGHT CONTROLS", WHEN THEY WERE OVER THE OCEAN OFF THE COAST OF OAK ISLAND HE HANDED THE CONTROLS OVER TO ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AS SHE WANTED TO PERFORM THE AUTOROTATION. HE STATED ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ HAD ASKED SEVERAL TIMES IF SHE COULD DO AN AUTOROTATION WITH A POWER RECOVERY AND HE SAID HE TOLD HER HE DIDN'T THINK THAT WAS A GOOD IDEA.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.