A helicopter spun out of control and crashed in Huntington Beach last month after a small control part in its tail came loose, according to a preliminary report released this week by the National Transportation Safety Board.

A tail rotor pitch link — a short connecting rod that links the helicopter’s controls to the tail rotor blades, according to the Federal Aviation Administration — had become disconnected as the aircraft approached a beachfront parking lot to land on Oct. 11, the report said. The pitch link allows the pilot to adjust the angle of the tail rotor blades using pedals in the cockpit, steering the direction of the helicopter’s nose, according to the FAA.

Witness photos and video showed the part was already loose when the helicopter began spinning to the right and struck a

See Full Page