What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
While conducting powerline survey charter, N263CH was surveying powerlines southbound along a highway when the helicopter struck one of the top two neutural wires on another set of powerlines that crossed the flight path. The helicopter and wire connected at the base of the pilot side windscreen, shattering the window and cutting through the pilot side door support as it rode up the center windshield support into the wire cutter on top of the fuselage. The wire broke and the pilot maintained control, landing the helicopter under power at the nearest suitable site less than 1/4 mile away.
As the FAA filed it
WHILE CONDUCTING POWERLINE SURVEY CHARTER, N263CH WAS SURVEYING POWERLINES SOUTHBOUND ALONG A HIGHWAY WHEN THE HELICOPTER STRUCK ONE OF THE TOP TWO NEUTURAL WIRES ON ANOTHER SET OF POWERLINES THAT CROSSED THE FLIGHT PATH. THE HELICOPTER AND WIRE CONNECTED AT THE BASE OF THE PILOT SIDE WINDSCREEN, SHATTERING THE WINDOW AND CUTTING THROUGH THE PILOT SIDE DOOR SUPPORT AS IT RODE UP THE CENTER WINDSHIELD SUPPORT INTO THE WIRE CUTTER ON TOP OF THE FUSELAGE. THE WIRE BROKE AND THE PILOT MAINTAINED CONTROL, LANDING THE HELICOPTER UNDER POWER AT THE NEAREST SUITABLE SITE LESS THAN 1/4 MILE AWAY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.