What happened
Thirty-five minutes into a fish-spotting flight, the pilot of the helicopter heard an indication of an engine problem. In response, the pilot turned the aircraft toward his ship and began a precautionary approach to the water. During the descent, engine performance continued to decline.
At an altitude of between 350 and 400 feet, while maintaining an airspeed of 50 to 60 knots, the engine failed completely. The pilot initiated an autorotation and turned left into the wind. Approximately 30 seconds after the initial indication of engine trouble, the pilot performed an autorotation into the water, resulting in a hard landing.
The pilot noted several factors contributing to the severity of the impact, including high density altitude, a lack of wind, and the low altitude at which the engine failure occurred. Additionally, the pilot reported that sun reflections on the water created illusions that made it difficult to visually determine the aircraft's distance from the water, speed, and rate of descent.