What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
According to pilot's narrative, event occurred after he lost visual reference to the vessel they had just hoisted the bar pilot down to. When he lost the visual reference, the PIC started to move the helo aft to regain the picture. This caused the hoist cable to start pulling the person on the end of the cable up off the deck. The hoist operator immediately sheared the cable once he realized he could not pay out the cable fast enough.
The person on the end of the cable sustained serious injury when they fell back to the deck.
As the FAA filed it
ACCORDING TO PILOT'S NARRATIVE, EVENT OCCURRED AFTER HE LOST VISUAL REFERENCE TO THE VESSEL THEY HAD JUST HOISTED THE BAR PILOT DOWN TO. WHEN HE LOST THE VISUAL REFERENCE, THE PIC STARTED TO MOVE THE HELO AFT TO REGAIN THE PICTURE. THIS CAUSED THE HOIST CABLE TO START PULLING THE PERSON ON THE END OF THE CABLE UP OFF THE DECK. THE HOIST OPERATOR IMMEDIATELY SHEARED THE CABLE ONCE HE REALIZED HE COULD NOT PAY OUT THE CABLE FAST ENOUGH.
THE PERSON ON THE END OF THE CABLE SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURY WHEN THEY FELL BACK TO THE DECK.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.