What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Public use aircraft, belonging to us border patrol. AS-350B3, N846BP piloted by joseph william dunn a commercial pilot certificate #526254488. Aircraft was taking off on its first flight of the day at approximately 20 feet in the air, there was a loud noise and the aircraft settled to the ground bending the skids and causing damage to the tail boom. The mechanical preliminary report showed the shaft from the engine to the transmission broke, causing loss of power to the rotor system.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PUBLIC USE AIRCRAFT, BELONGING TO US BORDER PATROL. AS-350B3, N846BP PILOTED BY JOSEPH WILLIAM DUNN A COMMERCIAL PILOT CERTIFICATE #526254488. AIRCRAFT WAS TAKING OFF ON ITS FIRST FLIGHT OF THE DAY AT APPROXIMATELY 20 FEET IN THE AIR, THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE AND THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED TO THE GROUND BENDING THE SKIDS AND CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE TAIL BOOM. THE MECHANICAL PRELIMINARY REPORT SHOWED THE SHAFT FROM THE ENGINE TO THE TRANSMISSION BROKE, CAUSING LOSS OF POWER TO THE ROTOR SYSTEM.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.