The attempted theft of a helicopter ended in wreckage on Wednesday when it crashed at Sacramento Executive Airport, authorities said.
Between 4 a.m. and 6 a.m., someone tried to start four helicopters that were sitting at the airport and managed to operate one, Sacramento police said.
The Bell 429 helicopter wound up laying on its side with its rotors sheared off and its tail boom cracked.
No injuries were reported. The thief took off, and no arrests have been made, authorities said.
It’s a federal crime to destroy an aircraft. The FBI, Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board were investigating.
