What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The aircraft was an experimental exibition being flow from Adelanto, CA. To flabob, CA. When it experienced an unknown problem in flight, and it contacted the static line of a transmission tower, approximately 187 feet AGL. The helicopter descended rapidly and impacting the ground, the tandem rotor helicopters blades contacted each other and disintegrated, the debris field was approximately 600 feet in diamter. The post accident fire consumed the helicopter from the engine firewall forward. The aluminum and magnesium components burned or melted. The post crash fire eliminated the ability to examine the flight controls and rotor system. The aircraft was operation under an experimental certificate with operating limitations and the requirements of a program letter which was on file at the FSDO.
As the FAA filed it
THE AIRCRAFT WAS AN EXPERIMENTAL EXIBITION BEING FLOW FROM ADELANTO, CA. TO FLABOB, CA. WHEN IT EXPERIENCED AN UNKNOWN PROBLEM IN FLIGHT, AND IT CONTACTED THE STATIC LINE OF A TRANSMISSION TOWER, APPROXIMATELY 187 FEET AGL. THE HELICOPTER DESCENDED RAPIDLY AND IMPACTING THE GROUND, THE TANDEM ROTOR HELICOPTERS BLADES CONTACTED EACH OTHER AND DISINTEGRATED, THE DEBRIS FIELD WAS APPROXIMATELY 600 FEET IN DIAMTER. THE POST ACCIDENT FIRE CONSUMED THE HELICOPTER FROM THE ENGINE FIREWALL FORWARD. THE ALUMINUM AND MAGNESIUM COMPONENTS BURNED OR MELTED. THE POST CRASH FIRE ELIMINATED THE ABILITY TO EXAMINE THE FLIGHT CONTROLS AND ROTOR SYSTEM. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OPERATION UNDER AN EXPERIMENTAL CERTIFICATE WITH OPERATING LIMITATIONS AND THE REQUIREMENTS OF A PROGRAM LETTER WHICH WAS ON FILE AT THE FSDO.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.