What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23)On October 25, 1999 at approximately 1515 hours, officer desmond casey was in the process of conducting a ferry flight in aircraft N904DP, a mcdonald Douglas 500N notar helicopter. This aircraft was owned and operated by the San Jose police air traffic division, San Jose, CA. The ferry flight of the helicopter was being conducted from the reid hillview airport, to the San Jose international airport (helicopter's home base). Just prior to the accident, officer casey had made contact with the San Jose tower, and was on a left down wind approach. The aircraft had been cleared for landing when the tower recorded a distress may day call at approximately 1535. It was later determined that the helicopter had experienced some type of control or power failure at approximately 800 foot altitude. Witnesses stated that the helicopter made a straight down spiraling crash landing in the middle of th alameda street and approximately 800 foot altitude. Witnesses stated that the helicopter made a straight down spiraling crash landing in the middle of the alameda street and highway 880 intersection. Officer casey, and passenger herman yee, were both pronounced dead by police/fire units upon their arrival at the scene.
As the FAA filed it
(-23)ON OCTOBER 25, 1999 AT APPROXIMATELY 1515 HOURS, OFFICER DESMOND CASEY WAS IN THE PROCESS OF CONDUCTING A FERRY FLIGHT IN AIRCRAFT N904DP, A MCDONALD DOUGLAS 500N NOTAR HELICOPTER. THIS AIRCRAFT WAS OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE SAN JOSE POLICE AIR TRAFFIC DIVISION, SAN JOSE, CA. THE FERRY FLIGHT OF THE HELICOPTER WAS BEING CONDUCTED FROM THE REID HILLVIEW AIRPORT, TO THE SAN JOSE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (HELICOPTER'S HOME BASE). JUST PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, OFFICER CASEY HAD MADE CONTACT WITH THE SAN JOSE TOWER, AND WAS ON A LEFT DOWN WIND APPROACH. THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN CLEARED FOR LANDING WHEN THE TOWER RECORDED A DISTRESS MAY DAY CALL AT APPROXIMATELY 1535. IT WAS LATER DETERMINED THAT THE HELICOPTER HAD EXPERIENCED SOME TYPE OF CONTROL OR POWER FAILURE AT APPROXIMATELY 800 FOOT ALTITUDE. WITNESSES STATED THAT THE HELICOPTER MADE A STRAIGHT DOWN SPIRALING CRASH LANDING IN THE MIDDLE OF TH ALAMEDA STREET AND APPROXIMATELY 800 FOOT ALTITUDE. WITNESSES STATED THAT THE HELICOPTER MADE A STRAIGHT DOWN SPIRALING CRASH LANDING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ALAMEDA STREET AND HIGHWAY 880 INTERSECTION. OFFICER CASEY, AND PASSENGER HERMAN YEE, WERE BOTH PRONOUNCED DEAD BY POLICE/FIRE UNITS UPON THEIR ARRIVAL AT THE SCENE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.