What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On August 6, 2005, at 0045 MDT, a Hughes HU-369-HS, N500SD, registered to bernalillo county sheriff's department made an emergency landing in the rear of a residence at privacy data omitted after the pilot and aircraft was hit by a bullet while on a 400' hover in a residential area of the city. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed; both the pilot and observer were using night vision goggles (NVG). The flight was coordinated by Albuquerque approach control. During the landing the main rotor blades struck a fence and tree. One of the main rotor blades severed the tail section of the helicopter. The helicopter was destroyed and the commercial rated pilot received serious injuries. The observer received minor injuries. The flight originated at Albuquerque international airport (abq) 2 hours earlier.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON AUGUST 6, 2005, AT 0045 MDT, A HUGHES HU-369-HS, N500SD, REGISTERED TO BERNALILLO COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN THE REAR OF A RESIDENCE AT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AFTER THE PILOT AND AIRCRAFT WAS HIT BY A BULLET WHILE ON A 400' HOVER IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA OF THE CITY. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED; BOTH THE PILOT AND OBSERVER WERE USING NIGHT VISION GOGGLES (NVG). THE FLIGHT WAS COORDINATED BY ALBUQUERQUE APPROACH CONTROL. DURING THE LANDING THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRUCK A FENCE AND TREE. ONE OF THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES SEVERED THE TAIL SECTION OF THE HELICOPTER. THE HELICOPTER WAS DESTROYED AND THE COMMERCIAL RATED PILOT RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES. THE OBSERVER RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT ALBUQUERQUE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (ABQ) 2 HOURS EARLIER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.