LAX00LA066

The pilot took off from the fishing vessel with a tail wind and the helicopter settled into the water in a tail low attitude. The main rotor blades contacted the tail boom and the tail rotor contacted the water. The helicopter was equipped with permanent floats and remained in an upright position. No discrepancies were found during examination of the engine.

On December 30, 1999, about 1200 hours local ship time, a Hughes 369HS, N9162F, crashed into the Pacific Ocean after takeoff from a fishing vessel in international waters about 1,300 miles southeast of Guam. The helicopter, operated by Hansen Helicopters, Tamuning, Guam, sustained substantial damage. The pilot, who held a New Zealand commercial pilot certificate, was not injured. The local aerial observation flight, conducted under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91, was originating from the fishing vessel at the time of the accident. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed.

The ship's helicopter mechanic observed the accident. He reported that the accident flight was the third scheduled flight of the day. He observed the pilot perform a normal engine start-up and takeoff with a 5- to 10-knot tailwind. The ship was stationary at that time. As the helicopter lifted off from the deck, it moved sideways and dove toward the forward right-hand side of the ship. The mechanic stated that the pilot appeared to be trying to gain airspeed. About 5 seconds later, he observed the helicopter flaring as it approached the water. The tail rotor impacted the water and the tail boom bounced upward and was severed by the main rotor blades. The helicopter was equipped with permanent floats and remained in an upright position. The mechanic stated that the engine was still running at that time. The pilot closed the fuel shutoff valve and exited the helicopter. The ship crewmembers recovered the aircraft.

The mechanic stated that after the accident, the pilot reported that he had noticed a sudden increase on the TOT gauge and had experienced a loss of power after takeoff. The mechanic performed a visual inspection on the engine assembly after the accident. He found no mechanical discrepancies.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) database, the pilot held no FAA airman or medical certificates. The pilot was a citizen of New Zealand and held pilot and medical certificates for that country. The operator reported that he returned to New Zealand following the accident; he was not located for interview by the Safety Board.