A trespasser who attempted to flee on one of the helicopters after breaking into several of them crashed.
Between 4 and 6 am on Wednesday, the burglar entered Sacramento Executive Airport and attempted to start four helicopters on the tarmac, according to the police.
The person then succeeded in starting one of the helicopters, but it crashed.
The burglar left the area.
Wreckage on ground after man’s attempt to steal helicopter from airport goes awry
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The chopper he attempted to steal was left on its side with pieces scattered around it and appeared to be totaled. The debris was scattered over hundreds of yards, according to KCRA 3 photographer Domi Domalaog.
No injuries were recorded in the ordeal.
The destroyed aircraft belonged to the Sacramento-based charter company Capitol Helicopters. It was a Bell 407 heavy-lift that could carry out various functions including as a mechanism for firefighting, the TV station reported.
Agencies that investigated the incident include the FBI, the Federal Aviation Administration, the National Transportation Safety Board and the city’s police department.
Destroying an aircraft is a federal felony, per the FBI.
‘This investigation is in its early stages and this information is preliminary as detectives work to learn exactly what occurred,’ police told The Sacramento Bee.
A pilot who was at the airport said the fences around the airport are not high enough and that there are no surveillance cameras on the property. The pilot told KCRA 3 that other pilots have asked Sacramento County to bolster security.
An airport spokesperson declined to comment pending the results of the investigation, according to the TV station.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the FBI Sacramento Field Office.