A Texas Department of Public Safety helicopter is damaged and a copilot is injured after a crash in South Texas on Thursday night.
According to DPS, the incident occurred at approximately 7:20 p.m. when a single-engine police helicopter was conducting a border interdiction patrol flight in support of Operation Lone Star.
DPS said the flight was conducted at night under Visual Flight Rules conditions. The pilot and copilot, the only individuals on the helicopter, were using night vision goggles, DPS said.
According to officials, when the helicopter reached North Farm-to-Market Road 1908, just west of Farm-to-Market Road 131 in Kinney County, the crew experienced a total loss of power. The helicopter entered into an auto-rotative descent and crashed into the ground.
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DPS said the co-pilot sustained a minor hand injury, and the helicopter sustained significant damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration were notified about the crash, and the Texas Highway Patrol is securing the scene until their arrival, DPS said.
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The crash is currently under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board.
