What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Witnesses reported that the helicopter had just departed from a parking lot .3 miles north of the accident site. They observed the aircraft flying south parallel to interstate highway 17, when the rotor system departed the helicopter. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and the post crash fire. The airman and his passenger had flown from kdvt (phoenix) to a Rock Springs cafe for lunch. After eating they planned to return to phoenix (kdvt) where the airman shared a hangar. When this inspector arrived on scene, it was drizzling rain and the mountain tops were covered by clouds. The aircraft maintenance records were exxamined by an airworthiness inspector and found in good order. Main rotor blades were found 200-300 feet from the fuselage wreckage, under power lines, 100' from the scene. One main rotor control tube was found.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE HELICOPTER HAD JUST DEPARTED FROM A PARKING LOT .3 MILES NORTH OF THE ACCIDENT SITE. THEY OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT FLYING SOUTH PARALLEL TO INTERSTATE HIGHWAY 17, WHEN THE ROTOR SYSTEM DEPARTED THE HELICOPTER. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED BY IMPACT FORCES AND THE POST CRASH FIRE. THE AIRMAN AND HIS PASSENGER HAD FLOWN FROM KDVT (PHOENIX) TO A ROCK SPRINGS CAFE FOR LUNCH. AFTER EATING THEY PLANNED TO RETURN TO PHOENIX (KDVT) WHERE THE AIRMAN SHARED A HANGAR. WHEN THIS INSPECTOR ARRIVED ON SCENE, IT WAS DRIZZLING RAIN AND THE MOUNTAIN TOPS WERE COVERED BY CLOUDS. THE AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE RECORDS WERE EXXAMINED BY AN AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR AND FOUND IN GOOD ORDER. MAIN ROTOR BLADES WERE FOUND 200-300 FEET FROM THE FUSELAGE WRECKAGE, UNDER POWER LINES, 100' FROM THE SCENE. ONE MAIN ROTOR CONTROL TUBE WAS FOUND.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.