What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
11/10/2018 - Hawaii pacific inc. (dba) mauna loa helicopters operating a R44
Manufactured Robinson helicopter, tail number N445KP. The company was operating a 91 air tour on the island of kauai near the city of Hanapepe. The pilot initiated an emergency landing and landed safely without injuries to himself and his two passengers.
During a descending right turn into Hanapepe valley he felt an impact to his pedals. He looked back at the passenger seated behind him and noted she did not have her cell phone. The passenger?s cell phone flew out of the aircraft and struck the tail rotor causing the pilot to perform an emergency landing.
The obvious and only impact from the cell phone was to the helicopters tail rotor blade.
Statement from PIC:
"The passengers were video briefed, signed a waiver and were briefed verbally by myself prior to the flight. They still intended to take their cell phones without cases. I refused and provided a case to the female occupant seated in the back right of the R44, immediately behind the pilot.
During a descending right turn into Hanapepe valley, I felt an impact through the pedals. With no further indications of loss of control, I looked behind me and saw the female passenger holding the remains of the case, namely the strap. It was clear that the pouch and her cell phone had departed the aircraft and was likely the cause of the impact on the tail.
I landed as soon as possible on a hunting track on the Hanapepe ridge, and inspected the damage. On contact with the base mechanics, further flight was not possible and the helicopter was left at the landing site."
As the FAA filed it
11/10/2018 - HAWAII PACIFIC INC. (DBA) MAUNA LOA HELICOPTERS OPERATING A R44
MANUFACTURED ROBINSON HELICOPTER, TAIL NUMBER N445KP. THE COMPANY WAS OPERATING A 91 AIR TOUR ON THE ISLAND OF KAUAI NEAR THE CITY OF HANAPEPE. THE PILOT INITIATED AN EMERGENCY LANDING AND LANDED SAFELY WITHOUT INJURIES TO HIMSELF AND HIS TWO PASSENGERS.
DURING A DESCENDING RIGHT TURN INTO HANAPEPE VALLEY HE FELT AN IMPACT TO HIS PEDALS. HE LOOKED BACK AT THE PASSENGER SEATED BEHIND HIM AND NOTED SHE DID NOT HAVE HER CELL PHONE. THE PASSENGER?S CELL PHONE FLEW OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT AND STRUCK THE TAIL ROTOR CAUSING THE PILOT TO PERFORM AN EMERGENCY LANDING.
THE OBVIOUS AND ONLY IMPACT FROM THE CELL PHONE WAS TO THE HELICOPTERS TAIL ROTOR BLADE.
STATEMENT FROM PIC:
"THE PASSENGERS WERE VIDEO BRIEFED, SIGNED A WAIVER AND WERE BRIEFED VERBALLY BY MYSELF PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT. THEY STILL INTENDED TO TAKE THEIR CELL PHONES WITHOUT CASES. I REFUSED AND PROVIDED A CASE TO THE FEMALE OCCUPANT SEATED IN THE BACK RIGHT OF THE R44, IMMEDIATELY BEHIND THE PILOT.
DURING A DESCENDING RIGHT TURN INTO HANAPEPE VALLEY, I FELT AN IMPACT THROUGH THE PEDALS. WITH NO FURTHER INDICATIONS OF LOSS OF CONTROL, I LOOKED BEHIND ME AND SAW THE FEMALE PASSENGER HOLDING THE REMAINS OF THE CASE, NAMELY THE STRAP. IT WAS CLEAR THAT THE POUCH AND HER CELL PHONE HAD DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT AND WAS LIKELY THE CAUSE OF THE IMPACT ON THE TAIL.
I LANDED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE ON A HUNTING TRACK ON THE HANAPEPE RIDGE, AND INSPECTED THE DAMAGE. ON CONTACT WITH THE BASE MECHANICS, FURTHER FLIGHT WAS NOT POSSIBLE AND THE HELICOPTER WAS LEFT AT THE LANDING SITE."
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.