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I was just about to post that and saw you did already ... hard to tell , blades looked like they had lots of pitch , and sounds like the engine was speeding up ????? ..... sprag clutch fail ??? Just a guess

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vortex ring state and pulled pitch? OOOOOppppppppsssss!

That was the perfect example of the vortex ring state. Pulling pitch worked as it should have. Made it worse. When there is no lift......there is just no lift......I don't care if the collective is cutting circulation in you armpit it won't do any good.
Damn it happens fast.

It is a very real thing.

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This is the guy who took the video .... watch right behind the guy .... the yellow police tape blows around from :20 to :43 .... the wind blows in one direction and then switches 180* from the other direction .... sudden switch to a tailwind maybe helped trigger the VRS ????

Gotta give this guy credit for holding the camera steady at the moment of impact.

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Pilot to ATC .... "Chopper 8 ... I think I am going down"

Then ATC tells other pilots to look for him

End of video shows crane raising fuselage

NTSB Identification: WPR16FA072
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, February 18, 2016 in Honolulu, HI
Aircraft: BELL 206B, registration: N80918
Injuries: 1 Fatal, 3 Serious, 1 Minor.


On February 18, 2016, about 1020 Hawaiian standard time, a Bell 206B, N80918, was substantially damaged when it impacted water during an emergency landing near Honolulu, Hawaii. The helicopter was registered to a private individual and operated by Genesis Helicopters under provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a local air tour flight. The commercial pilot and 2 passengers sustained serious injuries, 1 passenger sustained minor injuries, and 1 passenger was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a company flight plan was filed for the local flight. The flight originated from the Honolulu International Airport (HLN), Honolulu, about 0935.

The pilot reported to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge, that while in cruise flight over Ford Island, he felt a vibration followed by a grinding noise. Shortly after, the pilot heard a loud bang, scanned the instrument panel and saw that the engine instruments indicated the engine was still running, however, rotor rpm decreasing. The pilot initiated an auto rotation to a grassy area near Contemplation Circle at the World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument. As the pilot neared his intended landing area, he observed multiple people within the area. The pilot stated he initiated a left pedal turn, attempting to land close to the shoreline. Subsequently, the helicopter descended rapidly into the water, about 20 feet from the shoreline.


http://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviat ... 1040&key=1

Wow, in that case, he did a great job.... kudos to the pilot....

Very unfortunate to loose a passenger... strange, the pilot and 2 injured and one dead?

Will be interesting to find out what part of the driveline failed.... at least they were close to shore... what a shame there was so many people where he chose to land

The left pedal turn doesn't make sense but then again when you are in the real situation you do things that come naturally. Just like a gyro the helicopter needs to be steered in autorotation with the stick and not with pedals!!!!

the video contradicts pilot statement.........autorotation isn't watching the blades at full pitch hanging till the bottom drops out.

something's rotten in . . . .what ever it's rotten in. . . .He's in deep do doo as it was with no floats over water.........

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I am guessing he had lowered collective to make a precautionary landing (semi-auto) and then pulled collective in a high hover and the bottom fell out (sprag failed ??)

He had radioed he was going down , the video guy said the heli was coming toward him before the camera was turned on ... and later the pilot said he had engine power on the way down which obviously did not get to the rotor at the end

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Oh it was getting power, you don't just hang on a hope and a prayer

There cant have been any/much power on when he hit the water.... both main rotor blades are still on the machine and orientated somewhat correctly... the tail rotor blades are pulled over to the left so that would indicate the TR was left pedal when it hit the water?

Will be interesting to hear the outcome

What disappoints me is the guy recording doesn't drop the phone and get his butt in gear assisting in getting them out.
Was the fatality a drowning??
I'm ex-FD so just my thoughts.....

One died one had serious injuries and one walked away with just minor.
Wasn't from drowning.

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The camera man and other bystanders jumped in the water to help get people out , somebody had a knife for cutting seat belts but they still had a hard time releasing the 16 year old who died later in hospital ... turns out the 4 passengers were a Canadian family who were doing the tourist thing in Hawaii

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