What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The rotorcraft was conducting spray operations on a wheat field. The rotorcraft had just completed a re-supply of chemicals and was taking off to resume spraying. As the rotorcraft began its takoff and upon entering effective translational lift the wind calmed causing the rotorcraft to decend slightly and allowing the spray booms to contact the wheat. Upon contact with the wheat the rotorcraft was pulled rapidly into a nose down attitude. The main rotor struck the ground and the rotorcraft yawed to the left and impacted the ground on the right side causing substantial damage to the rotorcraft but fortunately leaving the pilot uninjured. The pilot reported that after the aircraft came to rest that he had to shut the engine down and that no mechanical issues had occurred to cause this accident.
As the FAA filed it
THE ROTORCRAFT WAS CONDUCTING SPRAY OPERATIONS ON A WHEAT FIELD. THE ROTORCRAFT HAD JUST COMPLETED A RE-SUPPLY OF CHEMICALS AND WAS TAKING OFF TO RESUME SPRAYING. AS THE ROTORCRAFT BEGAN ITS TAKOFF AND UPON ENTERING EFFECTIVE TRANSLATIONAL LIFT THE WIND CALMED CAUSING THE ROTORCRAFT TO DECEND SLIGHTLY AND ALLOWING THE SPRAY BOOMS TO CONTACT THE WHEAT. UPON CONTACT WITH THE WHEAT THE ROTORCRAFT WAS PULLED RAPIDLY INTO A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. THE MAIN ROTOR STRUCK THE GROUND AND THE ROTORCRAFT YAWED TO THE LEFT AND IMPACTED THE GROUND ON THE RIGHT SIDE CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE ROTORCRAFT BUT FORTUNATELY LEAVING THE PILOT UNINJURED. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AFTER THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST THAT HE HAD TO SHUT THE ENGINE DOWN AND THAT NO MECHANICAL ISSUES HAD OCCURRED TO CAUSE THIS ACCIDENT.
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 N38096 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.