What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On jan. 10, 2014, N3948A, a uscbp AS350-B3 Eurocopter, crashed into trees while in pursuit of illegals. The ranch foreman was a witness to the accident. He stated that the accident helicopter had just done a complete orbit, a 360 turn according to him. It hovered for a second, at approximately 50-100 feet, when it suddenly went into a spin to the left and crashed into the trees. The witness demonstrated how the helicopter made its turn, then hovering, facing in the opposite direction of the wind made a sudden spin to the left.
The helicopter was destroyed and all three people onboard were injured.
There was a post crash fire.
As the FAA filed it
ON JAN. 10, 2014, N3948A, A USCBP AS350-B3 EUROCOPTER, CRASHED INTO TREES WHILE IN PURSUIT OF ILLEGALS. THE RANCH FOREMAN WAS A WITNESS TO THE ACCIDENT. HE STATED THAT THE ACCIDENT HELICOPTER HAD JUST DONE A COMPLETE ORBIT, A 360 TURN ACCORDING TO HIM. IT HOVERED FOR A SECOND, AT APPROXIMATELY 50-100 FEET, WHEN IT SUDDENLY WENT INTO A SPIN TO THE LEFT AND CRASHED INTO THE TREES. THE WITNESS DEMONSTRATED HOW THE HELICOPTER MADE ITS TURN, THEN HOVERING, FACING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION OF THE WIND MADE A SUDDEN SPIN TO THE LEFT.
THE HELICOPTER WAS DESTROYED AND ALL THREE PEOPLE ONBOARD WERE INJURED.
THERE WAS A POST CRASH FIRE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.