Overview
- A preliminary NTSB report released Nov. 6 says a tail rotor pitch link came loose before the Oct. 11 Bell 222 went into an uncontrollable spin.
- Post-crash examination found two tail rotor pitch horns fractured even though bolts and related hardware remained secure.
- Investigators reported the tail rotor gearbox split in half during the upset, with one section falling into a beachfront parking lot.
- Witness photos and new video show a small tail piece separating seconds before impact near the Waterfront Beach Resort.
- Five people were injured, including an 11-year-old who family says is now awake and breathing on his own as the FAA and NTSB continue their investigation and hold the wreckage for further examination.