From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Helicopter was involved in aerial application, hit a telephone line and landed in a field.(.4) the pilot stated the cotton field he was going to spray with insecticide was lined with utility lines. He circled the field `2 or 3 times to locate obstructions', and began spraying. After finishing about half the field, he struck a utility line that was `hidden by the surrounding trees'. The nose pitched up, and the utility line wrapped around the helicopter's mast. The helicopter then rotated 150 to 160 degrees to the left, and it settled to the ground in a `hard landing'. (-23) pilot stated he had made several flights to locate wires, then made a pass to apply chemical and did not see phone wire until it was in his eyes.
As the FAA filed it
HELICOPTER WAS INVOLVED IN AERIAL APPLICATION, HIT A TELEPHONE LINE AND LANDED IN A FIELD.(.4) THE PILOT STATED THE COTTON FIELD HE WAS GOING TO SPRAY WITH INSECTICIDE WAS LINED WITH UTILITY LINES. HE CIRCLED THE FIELD `2 OR 3 TIMES TO LOCATE OBSTRUCTIONS', AND BEGAN SPRAYING. AFTER FINISHING ABOUT HALF THE FIELD, HE STRUCK A UTILITY LINE THAT WAS `HIDDEN BY THE SURROUNDING TREES'. THE NOSE PITCHED UP, AND THE UTILITY LINE WRAPPED AROUND THE HELICOPTER'S MAST. THE HELICOPTER THEN ROTATED 150 TO 160 DEGREES TO THE LEFT, AND IT SETTLED TO THE GROUND IN A `HARD LANDING'. (-23) PILOT STATED HE HAD MADE SEVERAL FLIGHTS TO LOCATE WIRES, THEN MADE A PASS TO APPLY CHEMICAL AND DID NOT SEE PHONE WIRE UNTIL IT WAS IN HIS EYES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.