What happened
While transitioning from forward flight to a hover, the pilot experienced a loss of power in the helicopter. The pilot performed an autorotation and landed the aircraft into the water. Although the emergency floats were armed at the time of landing, the pilot was unable to deploy them. The pilot and passengers successfully evacuated the aircraft before the helicopter sank.
The investigation
An examination of the wreckage revealed that the electrical wires responsible for activating the discharge agent had separated upon impact, which rendered the float deployment system inoperable. Regarding the engine, investigators found that the compressor section had sustained a contained failure.
Technical analysis showed no evidence of foreign object ingestion, no failure or malfunction of the number 1, 2, or 2.5 bearings, no rubbing of the rotor blades against the compressor case, and no axial movement of the rotor assembly. A metallurgical examination was conducted, but it could not determine the specific event that caused the failure in the compressor section.
Findings
Investigators determined that company personnel were not performing the salt water contamination removal procedure as recommended by the engine manufacturer.