What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
While FAA inspectors were observing the part 133 rotorcraft external load operation in privacy data omitted, Coconut Creek Florida, at approximately 11:10 hrs N5013G was involved in an accident. privacy data omitted Notified them the helicopter was down. privacy data omitted Had been in radio contact with the pilot and ground crew and was stationed at the pickup area. At the time of notification, the helicopter was not visible to inspectors from the pickup area. Inspectors quickly made their way towards the designated drop point directed by a person who had been working there. The helicopter was approximately 10 to 20 feet from the drop point, upright. The area surrounding the drop point/helicopter was densely forested with thick underbrush. The pilot was found lying on his back approximately 10 feet aft of the helicopter and was being attended to by a ground crew member. The pilot was conscious and able to responded verbally. Paramedics arrived approximately 15-20 minutes after we reached the accident site. The pilot was airlifted approximately 50-80 minutes after the accident. Inspectors took pictures of the accident site, interviewed the load master and pilot and examined the aircraft for obvious mechanical issues. The aircraft was inspected for fuel leaks as well. There were no signs of fuel leaks. The ground under/around the impact site were not saturated with fuel. Upon removal of the fuel filler neck, it was discovered that the tank was empty.
As the FAA filed it
WHILE FAA INSPECTORS WERE OBSERVING THE PART 133 ROTORCRAFT EXTERNAL LOAD OPERATION IN ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, COCONUT CREEK FLORIDA, AT APPROXIMATELY 11:10 HRS N5013G WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ NOTIFIED THEM THE HELICOPTER WAS DOWN. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ HAD BEEN IN RADIO CONTACT WITH THE PILOT AND GROUND CREW AND WAS STATIONED AT THE PICKUP AREA. AT THE TIME OF NOTIFICATION, THE HELICOPTER WAS NOT VISIBLE TO INSPECTORS FROM THE PICKUP AREA. INSPECTORS QUICKLY MADE THEIR WAY TOWARDS THE DESIGNATED DROP POINT DIRECTED BY A PERSON WHO HAD BEEN WORKING THERE. THE HELICOPTER WAS APPROXIMATELY 10 TO 20 FEET FROM THE DROP POINT, UPRIGHT. THE AREA SURROUNDING THE DROP POINT/HELICOPTER WAS DENSELY FORESTED WITH THICK UNDERBRUSH. THE PILOT WAS FOUND LYING ON HIS BACK APPROXIMATELY 10 FEET AFT OF THE HELICOPTER AND WAS BEING ATTENDED TO BY A GROUND CREW MEMBER. THE PILOT WAS CONSCIOUS AND ABLE TO RESPONDED VERBALLY. PARAMEDICS ARRIVED APPROXIMATELY 15-20 MINUTES AFTER WE REACHED THE ACCIDENT SITE. THE PILOT WAS AIRLIFTED APPROXIMATELY 50-80 MINUTES AFTER THE ACCIDENT. INSPECTORS TOOK PICTURES OF THE ACCIDENT SITE, INTERVIEWED THE LOAD MASTER AND PILOT AND EXAMINED THE AIRCRAFT FOR OBVIOUS MECHANICAL ISSUES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS INSPECTED FOR FUEL LEAKS AS WELL. THERE WERE NO SIGNS OF FUEL LEAKS. THE GROUND UNDER/AROUND THE IMPACT SITE WERE NOT SATURATED WITH FUEL. UPON REMOVAL OF THE FUEL FILLER NECK, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE TANK WAS EMPTY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.