HENDERSON, Nev. -- Investigators climbed into a canyon Thursday to reach the helicopter that crashed near Lake Mead Wednesday night. The crash killed all five people on board.
Federal transportation investigators found both tail rotors and all three main rotor blades among the wreckage. The National Transportation Safety Board was only on scene for three to four hours Thursday. They have not determined if there was a flight recorder or so called "black box" on board. What's left of the helicopter is at the bottom of a 150-foot, v-shaped canyon - forcing investigators to hike and climb to examine it.
"Most of the aircraft was consumed by fire. It is largely fragmented. The wreckage that is available is in a very confined area near the initial impact," said Dr. Mark Rosenkind with the NTSB.
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Their 12-member team will split into four units. They will determine the events leading up to the moment when the helicopter's GPS signal was lost on this routine flight. They will also examine the history of the helicopter.
Investigators will look at four factors: the chopper's operation and maintenance, the weather conditions, and human error.
"Our mission is to determine the probable cause of the accident, and then issue safety recommendations so that accident does not happen again," said Rosenkind. "I want to express out deepest condolences to the family and friends of those who lost their lives."
Rosenkind told reporters Thursday the agency expects to be on scene for three to five days as it conducts its investigation.
So far, they have identified two witnesses and plan to interview them Friday. French aviation officials are also in Las Vegas to add technical advice on the make up of the Eurocopter Aerospecial 350.
The tour helicopter operated by Sundance Helicopters crashed around 5 p.m. in a canyon near Lake Mead about 12 miles from Las Vegas. The group was on a 30-minute sunset sightseeing flight over the Las Vegas Strip and Hoover Dam.
It's unknown if the chopper was going to the Hoover Dam on the twilight tour flight or returning to Sundance's headquarters near McCarran Airport.
A preliminary report will be released in the next two weeks. The Clark County Coroner's Office was also at the scene Thursday - working to identify the passengers on board. The pilot has already been identified as 31-year-old Landon Nield. Kansas couple Delwin and Tamara Chapman have also been identified.
Sundance had another tour helicopter crash in 2003 that killed seven people. An investigation said pilot performance was the cause.
Mark Rosenkind with the NTSB speaks with reporters.
An All Terrain Vehicle was brought to assist at the crash site
Pilot Landon Nield
Delwin and Tamara Chapman
