Narrative:

Engine failed, autorotation into shallow water (18 inches). No injuries, no damage, FAA classified this as an incident. Pilot could not or should not have reacted differently to the failed engine. As to why the engine failed I don't have any idea. Perhaps the FAA investigator will find a cause. As this was classified as an incident there was no requirement to report this to the NTSB. This was also the opinion of the FAA inspector who interviewed me on mar/sat/97, out of the miami FSDO.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ROTARY WINGED TFC MAKES AN EMER OFF ARPT LNDG WHEN ITS ENG FAILS AT LOW ALT.

Narrative: ENG FAILED, AUTOROTATION INTO SHALLOW WATER (18 INCHES). NO INJURIES, NO DAMAGE, FAA CLASSIFIED THIS AS AN INCIDENT. PLT COULD NOT OR SHOULD NOT HAVE REACTED DIFFERENTLY TO THE FAILED ENG. AS TO WHY THE ENG FAILED I DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA. PERHAPS THE FAA INVESTIGATOR WILL FIND A CAUSE. AS THIS WAS CLASSIFIED AS AN INCIDENT THERE WAS NO REQUIREMENT TO RPT THIS TO THE NTSB. THIS WAS ALSO THE OPINION OF THE FAA INSPECTOR WHO INTERVIEWED ME ON MAR/SAT/97, OUT OF THE MIAMI FSDO.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.