What happened
On September 16, 2017, at approximately 1635 mountain daylight time, a Bell 2SO6L-3 helicopter, N213TV, impacted terrain in an open ranch land area near Ancho, New Mexico. The flight originated from Roswell International Air Center Airport (ROW) at 1554, destined for Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ).
The pilot, who was the sole occupant, was fatally injured when the aircraft struck the ground. The helicopter was destroyed in the crash. Weather conditions during the flight were visual meteorological conditions (VMC) with 10 miles of visibility and light winds.
An individual near the crash site discovered the wreckage after noticing smoke and notified local authorities. A review of GPS data from a Garmin Aera 796 unit found at the site showed the aircraft was flying on a northwest heading. During the final five minutes of the flight, the GPS altitude fluctuated between 6,200 and 6,456 feet. The terrain in the vicinity ranges from 6,000 to 6,400 feet, and the initial impact point was at an elevation of 6,330 feet.
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage and found ground scars consistent with a slight, nose-low impact. The wreckage path spanned approximately 300 feet. While much of the main cabin and the engine sustained heavy fire and impact damage, examinations of the airframe and the Allison (Rolls-Royce) 250-C30P turboshaft engine showed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures prior to the impact.
Analysis of the pilot's cell phone records revealed two calls made during the flight. At 1607, a three-second call was placed, followed by a call at 1612 to a car rental agency that lasted 1 minute and 47 seconds. An employee of the rental agency stated that during the conversation, the pilot appeared "busy or distracted," and the call disconnected while she was mid-sentence.
An autopsy performed by the Office of the Medical Investigator determined the cause of death was blunt trauma. Toxicological testing was negative for ethanol and drugs.