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NTSB release preliminary report of deadly helicopter crash

The National Transportation Safety Board detailed the events that led to the death of Huntington Beach Officer Nicholas Vella in its preliminary report of the fatal helicopter crash.

According to the report, shortly before the crash, Vella and his pilot were patrolling the air above Newport Beach when they received a call about a fight happening south of their location. The pilot headed towards the area and put the helicopter into a "right-hand orbit" as Vella turned on an infrared camera and began to search for activity.

Vella spotted the fight and relayed his observations to other officers. At the same time, the pilot tightened the orbit. As officers arrived at the scene the helicopter continued to orbit 500 ft above ground level. According to the pilot, by the time officers arrived most of the group dispersed. Concerned that an officer and a suspect were about to engage in a fight the pilot slowed the helicopter which is when it unexpectedly yawed aggressively to the right.

The report states that the pilot applied "full left pedal and forward cyclic to try and arrest the rotation." The corrective maneuvers did not work and failed to elicit a response from the helicopter as it continued to descend.

Shortly before crashing Vella said "We're having some mechanical issues right now," before saying "we're going down, we're going down," according to the report.

More corrective measures failed to stop the rotation and descent, but the engine continued to operate.  With the engine still running, the pilot hoped to fly the helicopter out of there, "rather than reducing power and performing an autorotation to a populated area."

The pilot sensed the helicopter was about to crash so he attempted to slow down and "bleed off airspeed." The helicopter crashed on Vella's side hard into the water. The pilot said that he recalled seeing water and glass rushing in and was soon submerged. He had to use a "rescue air bottle" to escape.

He was then pulled onto a boat by onlookers.

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