What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On may 3, 2004, at 2330 pacific time N397E a OH-58A+ helicopter lost power during a turn and made a forced landing on a residential street. N397E was being operated as a public service aircraft with no airworthiness certificate. The commercial helicopter pilot and the tactical flight officer were not injured when the helicopter struck power lines on approach to the emergency landing area. The flight was conducted as visual meteorological conditions. The pilot reported during a 180 degree turn to respond to a call a "boom" sound from the engine area. The aircraft shuddered. During the emergency descent an additional "boom" was heard, followed by the engine out audio warning with warning lights. The airspeed was at 60 knots during the autorotation the skids and tail rotor struck the power lines causing damage to the tail rotor blades and the tail boom of the aircraft.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON MAY 3, 2004, AT 2330 PACIFIC TIME N397E A OH-58A+ HELICOPTER LOST POWER DURING A TURN AND MADE A FORCED LANDING ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET. N397E WAS BEING OPERATED AS A PUBLIC SERVICE AIRCRAFT WITH NO AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE. THE COMMERCIAL HELICOPTER PILOT AND THE TACTICAL FLIGHT OFFICER WERE NOT INJURED WHEN THE HELICOPTER STRUCK POWER LINES ON APPROACH TO THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA. THE FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED AS VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. THE PILOT REPORTED DURING A 180 DEGREE TURN TO RESPOND TO A CALL A "BOOM" SOUND FROM THE ENGINE AREA. THE AIRCRAFT SHUDDERED. DURING THE EMERGENCY DESCENT AN ADDITIONAL "BOOM" WAS HEARD, FOLLOWED BY THE ENGINE OUT AUDIO WARNING WITH WARNING LIGHTS. THE AIRSPEED WAS AT 60 KNOTS DURING THE AUTOROTATION THE SKIDS AND TAIL ROTOR STRUCK THE POWER LINES CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE TAIL ROTOR BLADES AND THE TAIL BOOM OF THE AIRCRAFT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.