What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The helicopter just departed from the Yolo County Airport enroute to an almond orchard about a mile northwest of the airport. The mission was to conduct a frost control flight which required to fly 15-30 feet over the tops of almond trees to circulate air. It was dark but the weather was clear and the pilot had a clear sight of the horizon . The pilot was using an ipad to help find the orchard blocks that was intended to be flown over. The helicopter was at about 300 feet (per the altimeter) when it was realized that the ipad map was not showing the present location-the pilot checked the heading and altitude, then reached down to tap the ipad screen to fix the problem. The pilot must have inadvertantly pushed the cyclic forward. The pilot had his eyes inside the cockpit for only a few seconds before he looked up. There were large trees in front of the helicopter it was evident that it was too late to stop a collision. As a normal reaction, the pilot may have pulled back on the cyclic. However, the helicopter went through the trees and ended in a field on its side facing the opposite direction. The pilot was able to remove the seat belt and climb out. The pilot stated the following: "although there was a fire, my fire extinguisher had broken in the crash and I could not put ou the fire; it self-extinguished, possibly before emergency services arrived."
The investigating inspector found the pilot to be forthcoming and cooperative, and to have a constructive and compliant attitude. A search in the faa's databases did not disclose any previous violations, accidents, or incident history.
Recommend counseling.
This report may be revised with additional evidence
As the FAA filed it
THE HELICOPTER JUST DEPARTED FROM THE YOLO COUNTY AIRPORT ENROUTE TO AN ALMOND ORCHARD ABOUT A MILE NORTHWEST OF THE AIRPORT. THE MISSION WAS TO CONDUCT A FROST CONTROL FLIGHT WHICH REQUIRED TO FLY 15-30 FEET OVER THE TOPS OF ALMOND TREES TO CIRCULATE AIR. IT WAS DARK BUT THE WEATHER WAS CLEAR AND THE PILOT HAD A CLEAR SIGHT OF THE HORIZON . THE PILOT WAS USING AN IPAD TO HELP FIND THE ORCHARD BLOCKS THAT WAS INTENDED TO BE FLOWN OVER. THE HELICOPTER WAS AT ABOUT 300 FEET (PER THE ALTIMETER) WHEN IT WAS REALIZED THAT THE IPAD MAP WAS NOT SHOWING THE PRESENT LOCATION-THE PILOT CHECKED THE HEADING AND ALTITUDE, THEN REACHED DOWN TO TAP THE IPAD SCREEN TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE PILOT MUST HAVE INADVERTANTLY PUSHED THE CYCLIC FORWARD. THE PILOT HAD HIS EYES INSIDE THE COCKPIT FOR ONLY A FEW SECONDS BEFORE HE LOOKED UP. THERE WERE LARGE TREES IN FRONT OF THE HELICOPTER IT WAS EVIDENT THAT IT WAS TOO LATE TO STOP A COLLISION. AS A NORMAL REACTION, THE PILOT MAY HAVE PULLED BACK ON THE CYCLIC. HOWEVER, THE HELICOPTER WENT THROUGH THE TREES AND ENDED IN A FIELD ON ITS SIDE FACING THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO REMOVE THE SEAT BELT AND CLIMB OUT. THE PILOT STATED THE FOLLOWING: "ALTHOUGH THERE WAS A FIRE, MY FIRE EXTINGUISHER HAD BROKEN IN THE CRASH AND I COULD NOT PUT OU THE FIRE; IT SELF-EXTINGUISHED, POSSIBLY BEFORE EMERGENCY SERVICES ARRIVED."
THE INVESTIGATING INSPECTOR FOUND THE PILOT TO BE FORTHCOMING AND COOPERATIVE, AND TO HAVE A CONSTRUCTIVE AND COMPLIANT ATTITUDE. A SEARCH IN THE FAA'S DATABASES DID NOT DISCLOSE ANY PREVIOUS VIOLATIONS, ACCIDENTS, OR INCIDENT HISTORY.
RECOMMEND COUNSELING.
THIS REPORT MAY BE REVISED WITH ADDITIONAL EVIDENCE
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.