Incident Overview
A helicopter accident occurred during a wildlife herding operation at a private ranch. The pilot, who had accumulated 2,216 flight hours, had refueled at the ranch and then departed with a passenger to begin herding exotic animals across an earthen dam to an open area for capture.
Sequence of Events
According to the pilot, one particular trophy exotic animal that they were trying to capture began swimming in a creek below. The pilot stated that "it was obvious that the animal was struggling to cross." In response, the pilot began to hover beside the animal, aiming to herd it out of the water and toward the bank.
At this point, the aircraft began to settle with power at a height of approximately six feet above the water. The pilot then applied forward cyclic and right pedal, along with a lower collective setting. Subsequently, the skid gear settled into the water with forward motion, and the main rotors contacted the water surface.
Damage and Recovery
The helicopter sank in approximately six feet of water. The extent of damage to the aircraft was not specified in the source, but the main rotor contact with water likely resulted in significant damage.
Investigation
No official determination of probable cause was provided in the source. The investigation likely examined factors such as settling with power, pilot control inputs, and environmental conditions during the herding attempt.