What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot and pilot rated passenger were conducting cherry drying operations in a Robinson R44 ii helicopter. They had finished a north to south pass and were making a left 180 degree turn when the main rotor struck a power line located approximately 40 feet above the south end of the orchard. The helicopter came to rest on its right side in a cherry tree directly below the damaged power line. The pilot sustained serious injuries and the passenger was fatally injured. The helicopter sustained substantial damage.
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT AND PILOT RATED PASSENGER WERE CONDUCTING CHERRY DRYING OPERATIONS IN A ROBINSON R44 II HELICOPTER. THEY HAD FINISHED A NORTH TO SOUTH PASS AND WERE MAKING A LEFT 180 DEGREE TURN WHEN THE MAIN ROTOR STRUCK A POWER LINE LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 40 FEET ABOVE THE SOUTH END OF THE ORCHARD. THE HELICOPTER CAME TO REST ON ITS RIGHT SIDE IN A CHERRY TREE DIRECTLY BELOW THE DAMAGED POWER LINE. THE PILOT SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES AND THE PASSENGER WAS FATALLY INJURED. THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.