What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
A police helicopter departed north Las Vegas airport (vgt), with a pilot and observer crew member, on a routine patrol flight. According to the flight crew, when the aircraft began an orbit over the scene, a reduction in rotor RPM was noted by the pilot. The pilot attempted to increase the rotor RPM with the electronic trim switch. With no success, the pilot decided to abort the mission and return to vgt. While manuevering the aircraft in the direction of the airport, a complete loss of engine power was experienced. The pilot entered an autorotation which resulted in a hard landing on a residential street. The aircraft sustained substantial damage. Both the pilot and observer experienced minor injuries. No post crash fire was reported.
As the FAA filed it
A POLICE HELICOPTER DEPARTED NORTH LAS VEGAS AIRPORT (VGT), WITH A PILOT AND OBSERVER CREW MEMBER, ON A ROUTINE PATROL FLIGHT. ACCORDING TO THE FLIGHT CREW, WHEN THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN AN ORBIT OVER THE SCENE, A REDUCTION IN ROTOR RPM WAS NOTED BY THE PILOT. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO INCREASE THE ROTOR RPM WITH THE ELECTRONIC TRIM SWITCH. WITH NO SUCCESS, THE PILOT DECIDED TO ABORT THE MISSION AND RETURN TO VGT. WHILE MANUEVERING THE AIRCRAFT IN THE DIRECTION OF THE AIRPORT, A COMPLETE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WAS EXPERIENCED. THE PILOT ENTERED AN AUTOROTATION WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. BOTH THE PILOT AND OBSERVER EXPERIENCED MINOR INJURIES. NO POST CRASH FIRE WAS REPORTED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.