What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Border patrol helicopter crashed in an open field in Potrero California during a routine patrol. The helicopter came to rest on its left side in a field of dry brush on a magnetic heading of 309° at a field elevation of about 2,450 ft mean sea level. Three distinct ground scars were observed near the tailboom. A 4 foot long by 2-foot-wide ground signature was located next tothe outboard end of one of the main rotor blades. Another main rotorblade was resting within a second ground scar located approximately 1 foot forward of the first ground scar. A third ground scar was located about 6 inches away from the left horizontal stabilizer. All three main rotor blades remained attached to the rotor hub and were fractured at various points with broom strawing and fragmentation. Flight data was sent to europe for analysis. Waiting for coroner report, aircraft avionics analysis for final report. Will ammend report when more information becomes available.
As the FAA filed it
BORDER PATROL HELICOPTER CRASHED IN AN OPEN FIELD IN POTRERO CALIFORNIA DURING A ROUTINE PATROL. THE HELICOPTER CAME TO REST ON ITS LEFT SIDE IN A FIELD OF DRY BRUSH ON A MAGNETIC HEADING OF 309° AT A FIELD ELEVATION OF ABOUT 2,450 FT MEAN SEA LEVEL. THREE DISTINCT GROUND SCARS WERE OBSERVED NEAR THE TAILBOOM. A 4 FOOT LONG BY 2-FOOT-WIDE GROUND SIGNATURE WAS LOCATED NEXT TOTHE OUTBOARD END OF ONE OF THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES. ANOTHER MAIN ROTORBLADE WAS RESTING WITHIN A SECOND GROUND SCAR LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 1 FOOT FORWARD OF THE FIRST GROUND SCAR. A THIRD GROUND SCAR WAS LOCATED ABOUT 6 INCHES AWAY FROM THE LEFT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER. ALL THREE MAIN ROTOR BLADES REMAINED ATTACHED TO THE ROTOR HUB AND WERE FRACTURED AT VARIOUS POINTS WITH BROOM STRAWING AND FRAGMENTATION. FLIGHT DATA WAS SENT TO EUROPE FOR ANALYSIS. WAITING FOR CORONER REPORT, AIRCRAFT AVIONICS ANALYSIS FOR FINAL REPORT. WILL AMMEND REPORT WHEN MORE INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.