Fortnite Downed Black Helicopter location - how to investigate the downed black helicopter and tune it

Fortnite Downed Black Helicopter location
(Image credit: Epic Games)

If you want to investigate the downed black helicopter in Fortnite then we can tell you where to find it. It's been spotted by Farmer Steel and, according to him it was "flyin' low and scaring my corn." We're not sure if corn can get scared, but he wants it looking into so who are we to argue with the man. Along with repairing the Fortnite damaged telescopes, locating this crashed chopper forms the initial part of the Fortnite Foreshadowing quests, and the implication is that something sinister may be happening on the island involving the shadowy Imagined Order group.

Finding the Fortnite downed black helicopter location isn't the end of this quest, however, as once you've discovered it you need to do some further investigating. This involves interacting with it to 'Tune' the radio inside, so you can receive a secret message that may hint at what's coming next in Fortnite. If you're ready to do some detective work, then here's where you'll find the Fortnite downed black helicopter and how to tune it. Don't forget to use Fortnite CB radios, place Fortnite warning signs at crop circle, and destroy Fortnite spooky TV sets to finish off this questline.

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Fortnite Downed Black Helicopter location

(Image credit: Epic Games)

The Fortnite downed black helicopter location can be found on the northwest coast of the large lake, between the Hydro 16 dam and the Guardian Tower on an island. It's nestled against some rocks near the edge of a large group of trees, though the burnt out shell is smoking and sparking away so it shouldn't be difficult to spot once you're in the right area.

How to tune the Fortnite Downed Black Helicopter

Fortnite Downed Black Helicopter

(Image credit: Epic Games)

One you approach to investigate the Fortnite downed black helicopter, you'll highlight it and see a 'Tune' prompt to interact with. This then gives you plus and minus buttons to press in order to properly hear the secret message being transmitted, so hit them both a few times and you'll complete the quest by receiving the following broadcast:

"India Oscar field decon truck inbound, OPSEC level 3 is in effect, repeat, OPSEC 3 now a GO."

But what does that mean? Phonetically, it's likely that India Oscar represents the Imagined Order, which is backed up by Farmer Steel's comment when you hear the message. Is the field decon truck being sent in to decontaminate something? Perhaps something that has fallen from the sky? We'll have to see what happens next in the Foreshadowing storyline.

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Iain Wilson
Guides Editor

Iain originally joined Future in 2012 to write guides for CVG, PSM3, and Xbox World, before moving on to join GamesRadar in 2013 as Guides Editor. His words have also appeared in OPM, OXM, PC Gamer, GamesMaster, and SFX. He is better known to many as ‘Mr Trophy’, due to his slightly unhealthy obsession with amassing intangible PlayStation silverware, and he now has over 600 Platinum pots weighing down the shelves of his virtual award cabinet. He does not care for Xbox Achievements.