Witness Reuben Kunst said the helicopter was carrying telephone poles when the cable snapped and hit the tail rotor, spinning the chopper around.
That would get your attention!
The report seems to have been edited;
Helicopter pilot Rick Lucas has spoken of his survival after his chopper when down in the Pauatahanui Inlet, north of Wellington, describing how he ended up trapped underwater with a stuck seatbelt.
Lucas emerged unharmed after the twin-engine BK117 chopper he was flying crashed into the water near Porirua about 11.30am on Tuesday.
Afterwards, he said he immediately knew he was in trouble. "I thought 'this was it' ... I feel a bit lucky."
Glad that Rick is OK.