Incident Overview
During a flight over the Gulf of Mexico, the helicopter experienced a loss of engine power. The pilot deployed the floats prior to touchdown. The subsequent landing was hard, resulting in serious injuries to one of the passengers.
Emergency Landing and Rescue
After the hard landing on the water, the pilot and passengers were rescued. The exact timeline of the rescue is not specified in the report. Following the rescue, the helicopter remained afloat for some time before it rolled over in the glassy, smooth water.
Engine Examination
A teardown inspection of the engine revealed that the spur adapter gear shaft had lost its hardness. Evidence of fatigue was present in the components. Although the cyclic value of the fatigue cracks could not be determined, the point of origin was identified as a rubbed area on the spur adapter gear shaft.
Investigation Findings
The investigation did not provide a definitive probable cause for the loss of engine power. The fatigue cracks and hardness loss in the spur adapter gear shaft were noted, but no direct causal link was established in the official report.