What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Officer privacy data omitted stated that he and his partner, officer privacy data omitted ^ had flown several missions during their shift. They took off just before 4:00 a.m. on a call. Shortly after take-off, they smelled smoke. All engine indications were normal. They continued but the smell became stronger and officer privacy data omitted cancelled the call and turned back to the base at Stinson airport. On short final, several warning lights came on. The helicopter landed normally. It was discovered that an exhaust panel was missing and several wire bundles had started to melt. There was no fire.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) OFFICER ^PRIVACY^ STATED THAT HE AND HIS PARTNER, OFFICER ^PRIVACY ^ HAD FLOWN SEVERAL MISSIONS DURING THEIR SHIFT. THEY TOOK OFF JUST BEFORE 4:00 A.M. ON A CALL. SHORTLY AFTER TAKE-OFF, THEY SMELLED SMOKE. ALL ENGINE INDICATIONS WERE NORMAL. THEY CONTINUED BUT THE SMELL BECAME STRONGER AND OFFICER ^PRIVACY^ CANCELLED THE CALL AND TURNED BACK TO THE BASE AT STINSON AIRPORT. ON SHORT FINAL, SEVERAL WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. THE HELICOPTER LANDED NORMALLY. IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT AN EXHAUST PANEL WAS MISSING AND SEVERAL WIRE BUNDLES HAD STARTED TO MELT. THERE WAS NO FIRE.
Other reports on N277DT · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.