What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft operated by washoe county sheriff's office (public use) in suppport to U.S. Secret service department as a resource for security operations regarding a vpotus visit to the local area.
Aircraft conducted security operations prior to AF2 landing at krno airport. Aircraft landed back at krno waiting for arrival of AF2. After AF2 landing helicopter departed to begin route clearing from krno to cxp via I-580 and surface streets.
Aircraft was operating between 300-400' AGL through washoe valley
South end of valley, terrain rises 200' and I-580 / us 395 goes through a small mountain pass.
As aircraft neared this area an unsecured section of I-580 / us 395 had a unauthorized vehicle pulling onto southbound lanes.
Vpotus motorcade was traveling at approximately 70 to 75 mph as stated by the ground unit at the front of the motorcade.
Aircraft moved directly towards unauthorized vehicle to prepare for intercept. Pilot identified wires in front of aircraft (EST. 20 feet).
Pilot made emergency descent to avoid collision with the wires, but did contact and sever the wires with the main rotor system
The helicopter contacted all 3 individual unmarked 1 inch diameter aluminum high tension (120KV) wires with the helicopter's main rotor resulting in damage to the leading edge on one blade near the tip and scraping damage to the second blade.
Pilot made an emergency landing to the northbound lanes of I-580 / us 395 to prevent any delay to the motorcades progress.
No injuries were reported
Wires are not depicted on san francisco VFR sectional. Wires were less than 499 feet AGL.
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT OPERATED BY WASHOE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE (PUBLIC USE) IN SUPPPORT TO U.S. SECRET SERVICE DEPARTMENT AS A RESOURCE FOR SECURITY OPERATIONS REGARDING A VPOTUS VISIT TO THE LOCAL AREA.
AIRCRAFT CONDUCTED SECURITY OPERATIONS PRIOR TO AF2 LANDING AT KRNO AIRPORT. AIRCRAFT LANDED BACK AT KRNO WAITING FOR ARRIVAL OF AF2. AFTER AF2 LANDING HELICOPTER DEPARTED TO BEGIN ROUTE CLEARING FROM KRNO TO CXP VIA I-580 AND SURFACE STREETS.
AIRCRAFT WAS OPERATING BETWEEN 300-400' AGL THROUGH WASHOE VALLEY
SOUTH END OF VALLEY, TERRAIN RISES 200' AND I-580 / US 395 GOES THROUGH A SMALL MOUNTAIN PASS.
AS AIRCRAFT NEARED THIS AREA AN UNSECURED SECTION OF I-580 / US 395 HAD A UNAUTHORIZED VEHICLE PULLING ONTO SOUTHBOUND LANES.
VPOTUS MOTORCADE WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 70 TO 75 MPH AS STATED BY THE GROUND UNIT AT THE FRONT OF THE MOTORCADE.
AIRCRAFT MOVED DIRECTLY TOWARDS UNAUTHORIZED VEHICLE TO PREPARE FOR INTERCEPT. PILOT IDENTIFIED WIRES IN FRONT OF AIRCRAFT (EST. 20 FEET).
PILOT MADE EMERGENCY DESCENT TO AVOID COLLISION WITH THE WIRES, BUT DID CONTACT AND SEVER THE WIRES WITH THE MAIN ROTOR SYSTEM
THE HELICOPTER CONTACTED ALL 3 INDIVIDUAL UNMARKED 1 INCH DIAMETER ALUMINUM HIGH TENSION (120KV) WIRES WITH THE HELICOPTER'S MAIN ROTOR RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO THE LEADING EDGE ON ONE BLADE NEAR THE TIP AND SCRAPING DAMAGE TO THE SECOND BLADE.
PILOT MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING TO THE NORTHBOUND LANES OF I-580 / US 395 TO PREVENT ANY DELAY TO THE MOTORCADES PROGRESS.
NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED
WIRES ARE NOT DEPICTED ON SAN FRANCISCO VFR SECTIONAL. WIRES WERE LESS THAN 499 FEET AGL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.