What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Bell 407 helicopter was on a firefighting operation when it was attempting to refill the attached bucket with water from bench lake. The wind shifted/sheared and caused the helicopter to descend. The water bucket hit the lake surface, pilot lost control and the helicopter went into a dynamic rollover crashing into the lake. Pilot was the only one on board and was able to get out of the aircraft, swim to shore and get help. Pilot suffered minor injuries...
As the FAA filed it
BELL 407 HELICOPTER WAS ON A FIREFIGHTING OPERATION WHEN IT WAS ATTEMPTING TO REFILL THE ATTACHED BUCKET WITH WATER FROM BENCH LAKE. THE WIND SHIFTED/SHEARED AND CAUSED THE HELICOPTER TO DESCEND. THE WATER BUCKET HIT THE LAKE SURFACE, PILOT LOST CONTROL AND THE HELICOPTER WENT INTO A DYNAMIC ROLLOVER CRASHING INTO THE LAKE. PILOT WAS THE ONLY ONE ON BOARD AND WAS ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT, SWIM TO SHORE AND GET HELP. PILOT SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES...
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.