What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On February 18, 2016, about 1020 hawaiian aleutain standard time, a Bell 206B, N80918, was substantially damaged when it impacted water during an emergency landing near Honolulu, Hawaii. The helicopter was registered to a private individual and operated by genesis helicopters, Honolulu, under provisions of title 14 code of federal regulations part 91. The commercial pilot and 2 passengers sustained serious injuries, 1 passenger sustained minor injuries and 1 passenger was fatal. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a company flight plan was filed for the local flight. The air tour flight originated from the Honolulu international airport (hnl), Honolulu about 0935.
The pilot reported that while in cruise flight over ford island, he felt a vibration followed by a grinding noise. Shortly after, the pilot heard a loud bang and scanned the instrument panel and saw that the engine instruments indicated the engine was still running, however, the rotor RPM decreasing. The pilot initiated an auto rotation to a grassy area near the contemplation circle at world war ii valor in the pacific national monument. As the pilot neared his intended landing area, he observed multiple people and slowed the helicopter and initiated a left pedal turn. Subsequently, the helicopter descended rapidly into the water, about 20 feet from the shoreline.
As the FAA filed it
ON FEBRUARY 18, 2016, ABOUT 1020 HAWAIIAN ALEUTAIN STANDARD TIME, A BELL 206B, N80918, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT IMPACTED WATER DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING NEAR HONOLULU, HAWAII. THE HELICOPTER WAS REGISTERED TO A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL AND OPERATED BY GENESIS HELICOPTERS, HONOLULU, UNDER PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND 2 PASSENGERS SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES, 1 PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES AND 1 PASSENGER WAS FATAL. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND A COMPANY FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE LOCAL FLIGHT. THE AIR TOUR FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE HONOLULU INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (HNL), HONOLULU ABOUT 0935.
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT OVER FORD ISLAND, HE FELT A VIBRATION FOLLOWED BY A GRINDING NOISE. SHORTLY AFTER, THE PILOT HEARD A LOUD BANG AND SCANNED THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND SAW THAT THE ENGINE INSTRUMENTS INDICATED THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING, HOWEVER, THE ROTOR RPM DECREASING. THE PILOT INITIATED AN AUTO ROTATION TO A GRASSY AREA NEAR THE CONTEMPLATION CIRCLE AT WORLD WAR II VALOR IN THE PACIFIC NATIONAL MONUMENT. AS THE PILOT NEARED HIS INTENDED LANDING AREA, HE OBSERVED MULTIPLE PEOPLE AND SLOWED THE HELICOPTER AND INITIATED A LEFT PEDAL TURN. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE HELICOPTER DESCENDED RAPIDLY INTO THE WATER, ABOUT 20 FEET FROM THE SHORELINE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.