What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot was dispatched to drop water on a fire and was returning to base with a bambi bucket and 150FT line still attached. After a 10 minute flight in cruise, the pilot heard a loud noise and began experiencing a right yaw. He initiated a right turn and attempted to maintatin altitude when he heard another loud noise and a heavy vibration began. He heard the low rotor RPM horn and noticed a master caution light illuminate. When he could no longer maintain altitude, he attempted to manuever towards a clearing. The helicopter impacted the ground upright but rolled onto its right side. The pilot turned the fuel and battery off and exited the aircraft without injuries.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT WAS DISPATCHED TO DROP WATER ON A FIRE AND WAS RETURNING TO BASE WITH A BAMBI BUCKET AND 150FT LINE STILL ATTACHED. AFTER A 10 MINUTE FLIGHT IN CRUISE, THE PILOT HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND BEGAN EXPERIENCING A RIGHT YAW. HE INITIATED A RIGHT TURN AND ATTEMPTED TO MAINTATIN ALTITUDE WHEN HE HEARD ANOTHER LOUD NOISE AND A HEAVY VIBRATION BEGAN. HE HEARD THE LOW ROTOR RPM HORN AND NOTICED A MASTER CAUTION LIGHT ILLUMINATE. WHEN HE COULD NO LONGER MAINTAIN ALTITUDE, HE ATTEMPTED TO MANUEVER TOWARDS A CLEARING. THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE GROUND UPRIGHT BUT ROLLED ONTO ITS RIGHT SIDE. THE PILOT TURNED THE FUEL AND BATTERY OFF AND EXITED THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT INJURIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.