What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Tail roter clipped trees, crashed in field, landed on side. Skids bent, tail rotor blade broke off. Boom bent. (.4)the pilot reported that after performing a low-altitude aerial application spray run, he initiated a climb to clear trees. The left spray boom impacted one of the trees and the helicopter began to rotate to the right. The pilot applied full left pedal, but the helicopter continued to rotate to the right. The pilot initiated an emergency descent while trying to avoid obstacles. The helicopter impacted the ground while rotating and rolled over. (.19)on March 18, 1996, about 0800 PST, N57362, a Bell 206B helicopter, operated by pioneer aviation, inc., La Grande, Oregon, impatched trees and terrain and was substantially damaged while maneuvering near La Grande. The commerical pilot, the sole occupant, receieved minor injuries. Visual filed. The aerial application fligth was conducted under 14 CFR 137. According to an FAA aviation safety inspector from boise, Idaho, the helicopter tail rotor "clipped trees" while perofrming a low altitude aerial application. The helicopter then impacted terrain and rolled over onto its left side. The cabin and tail boom were substanially damaged. No preimpact mechanical malfunctions were reported.
As the FAA filed it
TAIL ROTER CLIPPED TREES, CRASHED IN FIELD, LANDED ON SIDE. SKIDS BENT, TAIL ROTOR BLADE BROKE OFF. BOOM BENT. (.4)THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AFTER PERFORMING A LOW-ALTITUDE AERIAL APPLICATION SPRAY RUN, HE INITIATED A CLIMB TO CLEAR TREES. THE LEFT SPRAY BOOM IMPACTED ONE OF THE TREES AND THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO ROTATE TO THE RIGHT. THE PILOT APPLIED FULL LEFT PEDAL, BUT THE HELICOPTER CONTINUED TO ROTATE TO THE RIGHT. THE PILOT INITIATED AN EMERGENCY DESCENT WHILE TRYING TO AVOID OBSTACLES. THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE GROUND WHILE ROTATING AND ROLLED OVER. (.19)ON MARCH 18, 1996, ABOUT 0800 PST, N57362, A BELL 206B HELICOPTER, OPERATED BY PIONEER AVIATION, INC., LA GRANDE, OREGON, IMPATCHED TREES AND TERRAIN AND WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHILE MANEUVERING NEAR LA GRANDE. THE COMMERICAL PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, RECEIEVED MINOR INJURIES. VISUAL FILED. THE AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGTH WAS CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR 137. ACCORDING TO AN FAA AVIATION SAFETY INSPECTOR FROM BOISE, IDAHO, THE HELICOPTER TAIL ROTOR "CLIPPED TREES" WHILE PEROFRMING A LOW ALTITUDE AERIAL APPLICATION. THE HELICOPTER THEN IMPACTED TERRAIN AND ROLLED OVER ONTO ITS LEFT SIDE. THE CABIN AND TAIL BOOM WERE SUBSTANIALLY DAMAGED. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS WERE REPORTED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.