What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
N51857 was conducting aerial application near Joice, Iowa. The helicopter was flying in a westerly direction as it descended over a tree line to enter a corn field. As the aircraft descended, it struck a small power line that ran north and south from the main power lines to a small building approximately 100 yards into the field. The power line became entangled in the tail rotor, resulting in loss of control of the helicopter and impact with the ground approximately 30 yards from where it struck the wire. The helicopter sustainied substantial damage and the pilot was uninjuried.
As the FAA filed it
N51857 WAS CONDUCTING AERIAL APPLICATION NEAR JOICE, IOWA. THE HELICOPTER WAS FLYING IN A WESTERLY DIRECTION AS IT DESCENDED OVER A TREE LINE TO ENTER A CORN FIELD. AS THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED, IT STRUCK A SMALL POWER LINE THAT RAN NORTH AND SOUTH FROM THE MAIN POWER LINES TO A SMALL BUILDING APPROXIMATELY 100 YARDS INTO THE FIELD. THE POWER LINE BECAME ENTANGLED IN THE TAIL ROTOR, RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER AND IMPACT WITH THE GROUND APPROXIMATELY 30 YARDS FROM WHERE IT STRUCK THE WIRE. THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINIED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND THE PILOT WAS UNINJURIED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.