What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
At the time of the accident, the pilot was conducting aerial application operations under 14 CFR part 137, and actively spraying an agricultural field. The accident helicopter, N38113, was heading west when it flew underneath overhead power and telephone wires, and made contact with the telephone wire. The swash plate drive links of the main rotor broke. The pilot lost control of the main rotor, and landed hard on the helicopter?s skids in a field just west of the field being sprayed. The thin support braid cable that wraps around the telephone cable was wrapped around the rotating section of the swash plate.
As the FAA filed it
AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THE PILOT WAS CONDUCTING AERIAL APPLICATION OPERATIONS UNDER 14 CFR PART 137, AND ACTIVELY SPRAYING AN AGRICULTURAL FIELD. THE ACCIDENT HELICOPTER, N38113, WAS HEADING WEST WHEN IT FLEW UNDERNEATH OVERHEAD POWER AND TELEPHONE WIRES, AND MADE CONTACT WITH THE TELEPHONE WIRE. THE SWASH PLATE DRIVE LINKS OF THE MAIN ROTOR BROKE. THE PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE MAIN ROTOR, AND LANDED HARD ON THE HELICOPTER?S SKIDS IN A FIELD JUST WEST OF THE FIELD BEING SPRAYED. THE THIN SUPPORT BRAID CABLE THAT WRAPS AROUND THE TELEPHONE CABLE WAS WRAPPED AROUND THE ROTATING SECTION OF THE SWASH PLATE.
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 N38113 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.