What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Helicopter was on a damage evaluation flight over the west Ramona area following the California wild fires. Pilot and 3 utility company observers were flying relatively low and slow altitudes and attitudes to determine which fire damaged power poles would require replacement. As pilot maneuvered helicopter in a descending right hand turn approximately 100 ft. above an avocado orchard, he allegedly experienced limited control of helicopter, which he attributed to limited cyclic control, ultimately resulting in a loss of control and impact with avocado trees resulting in the helicopter coming to rest on its side. Investigation of the aircraft and associated systems and controls has not revealed any mechanical malfunction.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) HELICOPTER WAS ON A DAMAGE EVALUATION FLIGHT OVER THE WEST RAMONA AREA FOLLOWING THE CALIFORNIA WILD FIRES. PILOT AND 3 UTILITY COMPANY OBSERVERS WERE FLYING RELATIVELY LOW AND SLOW ALTITUDES AND ATTITUDES TO DETERMINE WHICH FIRE DAMAGED POWER POLES WOULD REQUIRE REPLACEMENT. AS PILOT MANEUVERED HELICOPTER IN A DESCENDING RIGHT HAND TURN APPROXIMATELY 100 FT. ABOVE AN AVOCADO ORCHARD, HE ALLEGEDLY EXPERIENCED LIMITED CONTROL OF HELICOPTER, WHICH HE ATTRIBUTED TO LIMITED CYCLIC CONTROL, ULTIMATELY RESULTING IN A LOSS OF CONTROL AND IMPACT WITH AVOCADO TREES RESULTING IN THE HELICOPTER COMING TO REST ON ITS SIDE. INVESTIGATION OF THE AIRCRAFT AND ASSOCIATED SYSTEMS AND CONTROLS HAS NOT REVEALED ANY MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.