What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On June 6, 2009, at approximately 1000 MST, N149SH, a Robinson R-22 helicopter, with privacy data omitted performing as pilot-in-command, collided with a power line while performing a low altitude flight near Morristown, Arizona. Witnesses reported that privacy data omitted was herding cattle with the helicopter and believe he was enroute to refuel at the time the accident occurred. Witness marks on the nose of the helicopter indicate the wire contacted the nose of the aircraft, rolled down the chin bubble, contacted the left cross tube, and created a pivot point at the left cross tube and left skid tube attachment point. The helicopter rotated about this point and stuck terrain inverted, the nose of the aircraft coming to rest opposite the direction of travel. One of the two power lines was broken due ot this impact. Weather was VFR at the time of the accident. The pilot sustained fatal injuries.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON JUNE 6, 2009, AT APPROXIMATELY 1000 MST, N149SH, A ROBINSON R-22 HELICOPTER, WITH ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ PERFORMING AS PILOT-IN-COMMAND, COLLIDED WITH A POWER LINE WHILE PERFORMING A LOW ALTITUDE FLIGHT NEAR MORRISTOWN, ARIZONA. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS HERDING CATTLE WITH THE HELICOPTER AND BELIEVE HE WAS ENROUTE TO REFUEL AT THE TIME THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. WITNESS MARKS ON THE NOSE OF THE HELICOPTER INDICATE THE WIRE CONTACTED THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT, ROLLED DOWN THE CHIN BUBBLE, CONTACTED THE LEFT CROSS TUBE, AND CREATED A PIVOT POINT AT THE LEFT CROSS TUBE AND LEFT SKID TUBE ATTACHMENT POINT. THE HELICOPTER ROTATED ABOUT THIS POINT AND STUCK TERRAIN INVERTED, THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT COMING TO REST OPPOSITE THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL. ONE OF THE TWO POWER LINES WAS BROKEN DUE OT THIS IMPACT. WEATHER WAS VFR AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.