Accident Details
A helicopter was involved in an accident while returning to its heliport after completing a 1,200-hour maintenance inspection on the same day. During cruise flight, the pilot observed a slow decay in main rotor speed. In response, the pilot increased the throttle, but the needle split between the engine and rotor speed continued to widen. Unable to maintain altitude, the pilot performed a ditching in the ocean. The helicopter subsequently sank and was not recovered.
Investigation Information
The investigation focused on the events leading up to the ditching. The helicopter had just undergone a scheduled 1,200-hour maintenance inspection, but no additional details about the inspection or its findings were provided. The pilot's actions to correct the decay were noted, but the underlying cause of the rotor speed decay was not determined as the helicopter was not recovered.
Conclusion
The accident resulted in the loss of the helicopter. No probable cause has been stated in the available source material.