What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On September 11, 2025, about 1405 eastern daylight time, a Hughes (Mcdonnell Douglas) 369D helicopter.
The helicopter departed a landing zone about 1400 with 45 gallons of jet-a fuel, to perform work near a 120-FT-tall transmission tower about 1 mile away.
The purpose of the flight was to measure and mark sections along a fiber optic wire, located above
The transmission wires.
The line technician would be positioned on a skid plate, on the left outside of the helicopter, behind the
Pilot seat.
There were no known witnesses to the accident sequence. Other line technicians, working
About 2 miles away, reported feeling and hearing vibrations in the lines about the time of the
Accident.
The wreckage came to rest in a vertical nose-down position adjacent to the transmission tower
With severed fiber optic wire
As the FAA filed it
ON SEPTEMBER 11, 2025, ABOUT 1405 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A HUGHES (MCDONNELL DOUGLAS) 369D HELICOPTER.
THE HELICOPTER DEPARTED A LANDING ZONE ABOUT 1400 WITH 45 GALLONS OF JET-A FUEL, TO PERFORM WORK NEAR A 120-FT-TALL TRANSMISSION TOWER ABOUT 1 MILE AWAY.
THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO MEASURE AND MARK SECTIONS ALONG A FIBER OPTIC WIRE, LOCATED ABOVE
THE TRANSMISSION WIRES.
THE LINE TECHNICIAN WOULD BE POSITIONED ON A SKID PLATE, ON THE LEFT OUTSIDE OF THE HELICOPTER, BEHIND THE
PILOT SEAT.
THERE WERE NO KNOWN WITNESSES TO THE ACCIDENT SEQUENCE. OTHER LINE TECHNICIANS, WORKING
ABOUT 2 MILES AWAY, REPORTED FEELING AND HEARING VIBRATIONS IN THE LINES ABOUT THE TIME OF THE
ACCIDENT.
THE WRECKAGE CAME TO REST IN A VERTICAL NOSE-DOWN POSITION ADJACENT TO THE TRANSMISSION TOWER
WITH SEVERED FIBER OPTIC WIRE
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.