What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) During mosquito control application and enroute from aerial application area to nearby parking lot, pilot heard a loud pop then immediately lost pitch control. Pilot said engine and rotor speed sounded normal. Pilot used tail rotor only, to guide aircraft to ground. Aircraft impacted ground on north side of parking lot, in a grassy embankment. No spill of hazardous material found. Aircraft totally destroyed. No evidence of pre-impact broken or disconnected pitch change link or any other cable or control that would effect pitch. Inspection and interview with pilot produced no evidence of operational error.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) DURING MOSQUITO CONTROL APPLICATION AND ENROUTE FROM AERIAL APPLICATION AREA TO NEARBY PARKING LOT, PILOT HEARD A LOUD POP THEN IMMEDIATELY LOST PITCH CONTROL. PILOT SAID ENGINE AND ROTOR SPEED SOUNDED NORMAL. PILOT USED TAIL ROTOR ONLY, TO GUIDE AIRCRAFT TO GROUND. AIRCRAFT IMPACTED GROUND ON NORTH SIDE OF PARKING LOT, IN A GRASSY EMBANKMENT. NO SPILL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIAL FOUND. AIRCRAFT TOTALLY DESTROYED. NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-IMPACT BROKEN OR DISCONNECTED PITCH CHANGE LINK OR ANY OTHER CABLE OR CONTROL THAT WOULD EFFECT PITCH. INSPECTION AND INTERVIEW WITH PILOT PRODUCED NO EVIDENCE OF OPERATIONAL ERROR.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N25LB · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.