What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 8/3/2020 at approximately 1941L N55GJ, with four souls on board, was conducting a steep (250) approach to landing at a private residence adjacent lake laudon. Once N55GJ intercepted its approach angle the pilot reduced the collective and established a rate of decent and slowed the aircraft to near etl. As the aircraft approached the landing area the pilot increased the collective to reduce the rate of decent but the aircraft continued to descend. More collective was applied without response and the N55GJ settled in its own downwash. N55GJ impacted the water and sank to approximately 30 feet. The pilot and two passengers were able to evacuate the aircraft prior to sinking. Weather at the time of the accident indicated few clouds at 4,000 ft, broken clouds at 25,000 ft, visibility 10 statute miles, and wind from 080° at 5 KTS. The temperature was 27° c, the dew point was 20° c; and the altimeter setting was 29.91 inches of mercury. The N55GJ accident is in the investigation phase and the A-CE-19-20-034 will be amended when the investigation phase is completed.
As the FAA filed it
ON 8/3/2020 AT APPROXIMATELY 1941L N55GJ, WITH FOUR SOULS ON BOARD, WAS CONDUCTING A STEEP (250) APPROACH TO LANDING AT A PRIVATE RESIDENCE ADJACENT LAKE LAUDON. ONCE N55GJ INTERCEPTED ITS APPROACH ANGLE THE PILOT REDUCED THE COLLECTIVE AND ESTABLISHED A RATE OF DECENT AND SLOWED THE AIRCRAFT TO NEAR ETL. AS THE AIRCRAFT APPROACHED THE LANDING AREA THE PILOT INCREASED THE COLLECTIVE TO REDUCE THE RATE OF DECENT BUT THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO DESCEND. MORE COLLECTIVE WAS APPLIED WITHOUT RESPONSE AND THE N55GJ SETTLED IN ITS OWN DOWNWASH. N55GJ IMPACTED THE WATER AND SANK TO APPROXIMATELY 30 FEET. THE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS WERE ABLE TO EVACUATE THE AIRCRAFT PRIOR TO SINKING. WEATHER AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT INDICATED FEW CLOUDS AT 4,000 FT, BROKEN CLOUDS AT 25,000 FT, VISIBILITY 10 STATUTE MILES, AND WIND FROM 080° AT 5 KTS. THE TEMPERATURE WAS 27° C, THE DEW POINT WAS 20° C; AND THE ALTIMETER SETTING WAS 29.91 INCHES OF MERCURY. THE N55GJ ACCIDENT IS IN THE INVESTIGATION PHASE AND THE A-CE-19-20-034 WILL BE AMENDED WHEN THE INVESTIGATION PHASE IS COMPLETED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.