Accident Sequence
The helicopter landed at the heliport with approximately 220 lbs of fuel on board. At that time, the helicopter was oriented to north with a light westerly wind. It remained on the ground for 2 to 3 minutes while ground personnel boarded passengers for a sightseeing flight. The helicopter then lifted to a hover and initially turned left 90 degrees toward west, but the wind was from the northeast at approximately 5 knots. When the pilot realized the wind was from the other direction, he turned right about 270 degrees. The pilot initiated a southeasterly takeoff run, oriented about a 160-degree heading. During the approximate 275-foot takeoff run, the skids contacted the ground at least once as the pilot attempted to increase forward speed. The pilot felt that the helicopter did not have full power during the takeoff run; however, the pilot and passengers did not recall any cockpit warnings or anomalies. The helicopter did not gain altitude as it neared the end of the heliport, and the tailrotor struck the edge of the pier as the helicopter descended toward the water. The helicopter subsequently impacted the water and rolled inverted. Examination of the helicopter did not reveal any pre-impact mechanical malfunctions.
Weight and Balance
The pilot did not ask passengers their weight and did not have a scale at the heliport. Rather, he estimated the weight and balance. For the accident flight, he estimated 150 lbs per person, as there were three male passengers and three female passengers. However, the average weight of the passengers was approximately 188 lbs. The weight of the occupants and the weight of the fuel revealed that the helicopter was about 222 lbs overweight at the time of the accident, not including the weight of clothing, personal effects, and baggage.
Performance Considerations
In addition to being over the maximum gross weight, the helicopter was at or beyond its performance limits for the environmental conditions, and the takeoff was attempted with a light left crosswind or quartering tailwind.