From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
While in cruise on a southwest heading, the helicopter came into contact with the top cables on a set of highlines running northwest to southeast. The rotor struck one of the lines as there was evidence melted into the leading edge of the main rotor. One of the cables broke and the other was stretched causing the top of a pole to break. Helicopter impacted ground approximately 250 feet southwest of the lines, upside down on a southeast heading in a bean field killing the pilot.
As the FAA filed it
WHILE IN CRUISE ON A SOUTHWEST HEADING, THE HELICOPTER CAME INTO CONTACT WITH THE TOP CABLES ON A SET OF HIGHLINES RUNNING NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST. THE ROTOR STRUCK ONE OF THE LINES AS THERE WAS EVIDENCE MELTED INTO THE LEADING EDGE OF THE MAIN ROTOR. ONE OF THE CABLES BROKE AND THE OTHER WAS STRETCHED CAUSING THE TOP OF A POLE TO BREAK. HELICOPTER IMPACTED GROUND APPROXIMATELY 250 FEET SOUTHWEST OF THE LINES, UPSIDE DOWN ON A SOUTHEAST HEADING IN A BEAN FIELD KILLING THE PILOT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.