N955B
BELL 47-G
THE HELICOPTER PILOT WAS OBSERVED BY AN NTSB INVESTIGATOR AND A U.S. COAST GUARD PILOT TO CONDUCT AN OUT-OF-GROUND-EFFECT HOVER WITH A RIGHT CROSSWIND IN THE VICINITY OF A PREVIOUS CRASH SITE. THE HELICOPTER WAS OBSERVED TO MOVE BACKWARDS WHILE DESCENDING WITH A SLOW LEFT TURN. THE ENGINE RPM WAS HEARD TO INCREASE AS THE HELICOPTER DESCENDED AND COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN. THE HELICOPTER WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED. THE PILOT STATED IN AN INTERVIEW THAT HE ENCOUNTERED SETTLING WITH POWER. HE FURTHER STATED HE WAS UNABLE TO INCREASE THE THROTTLE, WHICH WAS NOT SUBSTANTIATED BY EYEWITNESSES WHO HEARD AN INCREASE IN ENGINE RPM PRIOR TO THE COLLISION WITH TERRAIN.
THE IMPROPER IN FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION OF THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND TO CONDUCT AN OUT-OF-GROUND-EFFECT HOVER WITH A RIGHT CROSSWIND. THIS RESULTED IN AN IN FLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL DUE TO SETTLING WITH POWER AND IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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