What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Helicopter was on a training flight when it crashed under unknown circumstances, pilot suffered fatal injuries.(-23)on October 5, 1998, at 1405 local time, N801EH, collided with the ground while maneuvering over an open field south of lower lake, California. The aircraft was destroyed in the impact sequence and post crash fire. The flight instructor received fatal injuries and the student sustained serious injuries. Witnesses reported seeing the aircraft flying to the northwest at low altitude, approximately 200 feet AGL, make a right 180 degrees turn to the southeast, and than make a right descending turn and strike the ground. The weather was VFR, and the winds were gusty.
As the FAA filed it
HELICOPTER WAS ON A TRAINING FLIGHT WHEN IT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES, PILOT SUFFERED FATAL INJURIES.(-23)ON OCTOBER 5, 1998, AT 1405 LOCAL TIME, N801EH, COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND WHILE MANEUVERING OVER AN OPEN FIELD SOUTH OF LOWER LAKE, CALIFORNIA. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED IN THE IMPACT SEQUENCE AND POST CRASH FIRE. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES AND THE STUDENT SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES. WITNESSES REPORTED SEEING THE AIRCRAFT FLYING TO THE NORTHWEST AT LOW ALTITUDE, APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET AGL, MAKE A RIGHT 180 DEGREES TURN TO THE SOUTHEAST, AND THAN MAKE A RIGHT DESCENDING TURN AND STRIKE THE GROUND. THE WEATHER WAS VFR, AND THE WINDS WERE GUSTY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.