What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On July 26, 2001, at 0940 central daylight time, a Bell 47G-2, N986B, was substantially damaged during an in-flight collision with power lines and subsequent collision with the terrain near Wheeler, Wisconsin. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The aerial application flight was operating under the provisions of 14 CFR part 137 and was not on a flight plan. The pilot, the sole occupant, was fatally injured. The flight departed Wheeler, Wisconsin, at exact time unknown. According to a witness to the accident, "he (the helicopter) was come (coming) from the east & went to clear high lines and hit top wire and went into groud (ground) and I ran down to chopper and seen fire tried to put out." According to another witness, "I herd (heard), a power pole krack (crack). I saw the power lines shaking. Then I saw the helicopter hit the ground and start on fire." (-23) aircraft struck power line while maneuvering during the application of agricultural spray. Rotor clipped off tail boom causing loss of control.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON JULY 26, 2001, AT 0940 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A BELL 47G-2, N986B, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING AN IN-FLIGHT COLLISION WITH POWER LINES AND SUBSEQUENT COLLISION WITH THE TERRAIN NEAR WHEELER, WISCONSIN. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT WAS OPERATING UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 137 AND WAS NOT ON A FLIGHT PLAN. THE PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS FATALLY INJURED. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED WHEELER, WISCONSIN, AT EXACT TIME UNKNOWN. ACCORDING TO A WITNESS TO THE ACCIDENT, "HE (THE HELICOPTER) WAS COME (COMING) FROM THE EAST & WENT TO CLEAR HIGH LINES AND HIT TOP WIRE AND WENT INTO GROUD (GROUND) AND I RAN DOWN TO CHOPPER AND SEEN FIRE TRIED TO PUT OUT." ACCORDING TO ANOTHER WITNESS, "I HERD (HEARD), A POWER POLE KRACK (CRACK). I SAW THE POWER LINES SHAKING. THEN I SAW THE HELICOPTER HIT THE GROUND AND START ON FIRE." (-23) AIRCRAFT STRUCK POWER LINE WHILE MANEUVERING DURING THE APPLICATION OF AGRICULTURAL SPRAY. ROTOR CLIPPED OFF TAIL BOOM CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.