What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The eye witness said the helicopter was flying "very low and very slow," along I-680 south bound so he was able to keep speed with it in his fire department suv. At one point, with the helicopter right above him, anderson rolled down his window and listened to the aircrafts engine. It didn't sound unusual he said. Visibility was low as the helicopter flew over the hillside and struck 60,000 volt transmission lines that began to arc. The sky lit up with white flames the helicopter burst in to flames falling to the roadway. The witness stated "it appears he was trying to find his way under the cloud cover that's why he was going so slow."
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE EYE WITNESS SAID THE HELICOPTER WAS FLYING "VERY LOW AND VERY SLOW," ALONG I-680 SOUTH BOUND SO HE WAS ABLE TO KEEP SPEED WITH IT IN HIS FIRE DEPARTMENT SUV. AT ONE POINT, WITH THE HELICOPTER RIGHT ABOVE HIM, ANDERSON ROLLED DOWN HIS WINDOW AND LISTENED TO THE AIRCRAFTS ENGINE. IT DIDN'T SOUND UNUSUAL HE SAID. VISIBILITY WAS LOW AS THE HELICOPTER FLEW OVER THE HILLSIDE AND STRUCK 60,000 VOLT TRANSMISSION LINES THAT BEGAN TO ARC. THE SKY LIT UP WITH WHITE FLAMES THE HELICOPTER BURST IN TO FLAMES FALLING TO THE ROADWAY. THE WITNESS STATED "IT APPEARS HE WAS TRYING TO FIND HIS WAY UNDER THE CLOUD COVER THAT'S WHY HE WAS GOING SO SLOW."
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N2011A · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.