What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On August 10, 2005, at 06:03 PDT, a san joaquin helicopters OH-58A+, N177SJ, operating in the restricted category, impacted terrain while performing an aerial agricultural spraying activity in Lancaster, California. The aircraft was destroyed and the commercial pilot sustained fatal injuries. According to a local farmer who was assisting the operation said the helicopter departed the fuel and chemical loading truck and flew north approximately 1/4 mile low level to the location, which was to be sprayed. The aircraft climbed over a row of trees and a farm house, began a descent and disappeared behind the row of trees. The witness drove around the corner and saw the helicopter impact the ground, nose first. The helicopter skidded along the field, which was to be sprayed, for approximately 100 yards before coming to rest.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON AUGUST 10, 2005, AT 06:03 PDT, A SAN JOAQUIN HELICOPTERS OH-58A+, N177SJ, OPERATING IN THE RESTRICTED CATEGORY, IMPACTED TERRAIN WHILE PERFORMING AN AERIAL AGRICULTURAL SPRAYING ACTIVITY IN LANCASTER, CALIFORNIA. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED AND THE COMMERCIAL PILOT SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. ACCORDING TO A LOCAL FARMER WHO WAS ASSISTING THE OPERATION SAID THE HELICOPTER DEPARTED THE FUEL AND CHEMICAL LOADING TRUCK AND FLEW NORTH APPROXIMATELY 1/4 MILE LOW LEVEL TO THE LOCATION, WHICH WAS TO BE SPRAYED. THE AIRCRAFT CLIMBED OVER A ROW OF TREES AND A FARM HOUSE, BEGAN A DESCENT AND DISAPPEARED BEHIND THE ROW OF TREES. THE WITNESS DROVE AROUND THE CORNER AND SAW THE HELICOPTER IMPACT THE GROUND, NOSE FIRST. THE HELICOPTER SKIDDED ALONG THE FIELD, WHICH WAS TO BE SPRAYED, FOR APPROXIMATELY 100 YARDS BEFORE COMING TO REST.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.