What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On July 12, 2011, the helicopter depar for a local flight. A visual flight plan was filed on July 12, 2011, for a 45 minute flight south ofskgi. The flight plan also listed the fuel endurance as 2 hours 15 minutes, 2 on-board, and the altitude to be 2,500 feet. The flight was cleared for takeoff from skgi at 2037 UTC. The flightproceeded south of skgi, and by the tower controller estimation, the helicopter climbedno more than 250 feet above ground level. After takeoff there was no distress call made by any occupant of the helicopter.a witness reported seeing the helicopter flying northeast bound, then heard a crack sound, then saw something separate from the helicopter.
As the FAA filed it
ON JULY 12, 2011, THE HELICOPTER DEPAR FOR A LOCAL FLIGHT. A VISUAL FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED ON JULY 12, 2011, FOR A 45 MINUTE FLIGHT SOUTH OFSKGI. THE FLIGHT PLAN ALSO LISTED THE FUEL ENDURANCE AS 2 HOURS 15 MINUTES, 2 ON-BOARD, AND THE ALTITUDE TO BE 2,500 FEET.THE FLIGHT WAS CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF FROM SKGI AT 2037 UTC. THE FLIGHTPROCEEDED SOUTH OF SKGI, AND BY THE TOWER CONTROLLER ESTIMATION, THE HELICOPTER CLIMBEDNO MORE THAN 250 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL. AFTER TAKEOFF THERE WAS NO DISTRESS CALL MADE BY ANY OCCUPANT OF THE HELICOPTER.A WITNESS REPORTED SEEING THE HELICOPTER FLYING NORTHEAST BOUND, THEN HEARD A CRACK SOUND, THEN SAW SOMETHING SEPARATE FROM 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.