What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) N98MP, a public use rotor craft operated by the Missouri highway patrol, had just departed the Springfield, MO Downtown airport (3DW) on a south easterly heading when the tail rotor assembly failed and departed the aircraft. The helicopter made a forced landing in a grassy area next to highway 65 approximately one-eighth of a mile from the point that the tail rotor failed. On impact with the ground, the left skid separated and the craft rolled on its left side. The pilot and passenger exited the helicopter out the right door. Both occupants suffered serious injuries. The helicopter sustained substantial damage.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) N98MP, A PUBLIC USE ROTOR CRAFT OPERATED BY THE MISSOURI HIGHWAY PATROL, HAD JUST DEPARTED THE SPRINGFIELD, MO DOWNTOWN AIRPORT (3DW) ON A SOUTH EASTERLY HEADING WHEN THE TAIL ROTOR ASSEMBLY FAILED AND DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT. THE HELICOPTER MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A GRASSY AREA NEXT TO HIGHWAY 65 APPROXIMATELY ONE-EIGHTH OF A MILE FROM THE POINT THAT THE TAIL ROTOR FAILED. ON IMPACT WITH THE GROUND, THE LEFT SKID SEPARATED AND THE CRAFT ROLLED ON ITS LEFT SIDE. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER EXITED THE HELICOPTER OUT THE RIGHT DOOR. BOTH OCCUPANTS SUFFERED SERIOUS INJURIES. THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.