What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
A public use helicopter, after refueling and departing las vegas, NM airport (lvs), with no flight plan filed, in cruise flight, experienced an apparent emergency of unknown origin enroute to the home base at aeg (double eagle ii).
The helicopter struck the ground hard in a tail low, upright attitude and with evidence of very low main rotor RPM.
The cause for the emergency descent is yet to be determined and this report will be updated after an aircraft component inspection.
The fuel site at lvs was inspected by the FAA with no conclusive evidence of fuel contamination.
The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot and three passengers were killed.
As the FAA filed it
A PUBLIC USE HELICOPTER, AFTER REFUELING AND DEPARTING LAS VEGAS, NM AIRPORT (LVS), WITH NO FLIGHT PLAN FILED, IN CRUISE FLIGHT, EXPERIENCED AN APPARENT EMERGENCY OF UNKNOWN ORIGIN ENROUTE TO THE HOME BASE AT AEG (DOUBLE EAGLE II).
THE HELICOPTER STRUCK THE GROUND HARD IN A TAIL LOW, UPRIGHT ATTITUDE AND WITH EVIDENCE OF VERY LOW MAIN ROTOR RPM.
THE CAUSE FOR THE EMERGENCY DESCENT IS YET TO BE DETERMINED AND THIS REPORT WILL BE UPDATED AFTER AN AIRCRAFT COMPONENT INSPECTION.
THE FUEL SITE AT LVS WAS INSPECTED BY THE FAA WITH NO CONCLUSIVE EVIDENCE OF FUEL CONTAMINATION.
THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED AND THE PILOT AND THREE PASSENGERS WERE KILLED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.