What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Helicopter agriculture spraying event . Pilot did a high altitude recon of the spray site. The field was 286 ft wide by 1,400 ft long. A house at the west end, row of trees at the east end, row of houses on the south side and a row of trees on the north side. The pilot did a low altitude recon for wires, kids, structures and gardens. Pilot stated that he did not see utility poles in the field and did not see wires. He approached from the west over the house and started spraying. At about 1,170 ft down the field he noticed wires directly in front of him same altitude. He pulled up at which point the wires struck the bottom aft portion of the fuselage and tailrotor. The aircraft became uncontrollable and crashed south east of the end of the field.
As the FAA filed it
HELICOPTER AGRICULTURE SPRAYING EVENT . PILOT DID A HIGH ALTITUDE RECON OF THE SPRAY SITE. THE FIELD WAS 286 FT WIDE BY 1,400 FT LONG. A HOUSE AT THE WEST END, ROW OF TREES AT THE EAST END, ROW OF HOUSES ON THE SOUTH SIDE AND A ROW OF TREES ON THE NORTH SIDE. THE PILOT DID A LOW ALTITUDE RECON FOR WIRES, KIDS, STRUCTURES AND GARDENS. PILOT STATED THAT HE DID NOT SEE UTILITY POLES IN THE FIELD AND DID NOT SEE WIRES. HE APPROACHED FROM THE WEST OVER THE HOUSE AND STARTED SPRAYING. AT ABOUT 1,170 FT DOWN THE FIELD HE NOTICED WIRES DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF HIM SAME ALTITUDE. HE PULLED UP AT WHICH POINT THE WIRES STRUCK THE BOTTOM AFT PORTION OF THE FUSELAGE AND TAILROTOR. THE AIRCRAFT BECAME UNCONTROLLABLE AND CRASHED SOUTH EAST OF THE END OF THE FIELD.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.