What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Aircraft departed torrance, CA (toa) at approx 1345 PDT enroute to north las vegas, NV (vgt) on a delivery flight. About 1600 PDT, aircraft impacted mountainous terrain approx 27 miles northeast of baker, CA at an elevation of approximately 3200 feet. Aircraft fuselage remained intact with no fire. One rotor blade separated from hub at the mast, but within 20 feet of helicopter. Skids separated from airframe and came to rest about 50 feet downhill from helicopter. Evidence suggests that the impact was at a low speed with the helicopter remaining basically intact. Impact evidence on fuselage indicates majority of damage from vertical drop. Pilot sustained fatal injury. Witness reports indicated area northeast of baker observed with thunderstorm activity and low ceiling along flight route of the helicopter.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AIRCRAFT DEPARTED TORRANCE, CA (TOA) AT APPROX 1345 PDT ENROUTE TO NORTH LAS VEGAS, NV (VGT) ON A DELIVERY FLIGHT. ABOUT 1600 PDT, AIRCRAFT IMPACTED MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN APPROX 27 MILES NORTHEAST OF BAKER, CA AT AN ELEVATION OF APPROXIMATELY 3200 FEET. AIRCRAFT FUSELAGE REMAINED INTACT WITH NO FIRE. ONE ROTOR BLADE SEPARATED FROM HUB AT THE MAST, BUT WITHIN 20 FEET OF HELICOPTER. SKIDS SEPARATED FROM AIRFRAME AND CAME TO REST ABOUT 50 FEET DOWNHILL FROM HELICOPTER. EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THAT THE IMPACT WAS AT A LOW SPEED WITH THE HELICOPTER REMAINING BASICALLY INTACT. IMPACT EVIDENCE ON FUSELAGE INDICATES MAJORITY OF DAMAGE FROM VERTICAL DROP. PILOT SUSTAINED FATAL INJURY. WITNESS REPORTS INDICATED AREA NORTHEAST OF BAKER OBSERVED WITH THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY AND LOW CEILING ALONG FLIGHT ROUTE OF THE HELICOPTER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.