20180616015519A

Earlier on this day, 06/16/2018, the pilot had flown a lineman to an electric tower to work on a wire (a fiber line on top of the structure). The fiber line was temporarily attached lower on top of the structure (pilot did not know this at this time). After completion of his work on the structure, the lineman radioed the pilot for pickup. When the pilot returned to pick up the lineman, the lineman was in the same location on the structure, and was ready to transfer back to the helicopter. The pilot hovered in closer to position the helicopter for pickup, and signalled the lineman that he was ready for the lineman to transfer from the structure to the skid. The lineman was reaching out to attach his safety lanyard to the helicopter when the pilot felt the vibration of the blades when the blades contacted the fiber line for a second. After that, the fiber line broke, and shot back away from the structure. Pilot estimated that the contact of the main rotor blades with the fiber line occurred at his 7 to 8 o?clock position. The pilot observed the lineman unharmed and still standing on the structure. Pilot hovered there briefly; realized what happened; and noticed no erratic movement of the helicopter - no yaw, no surge or decreasse in the rotor RPM. He then hovered to his right clear of the structure; checked the conrolibility; found no problems; reported on the radio that he had a blade strike, and flew directly to a known safe landing area nearby at approximately 1700 local time. The lineman stayed at the structure.

The pilot discussed this incident with the lineman afterwards, and learned that the fiber line was in a lower position when he dropped off the lineman onto the structure. The work performed by the lineman on the structure was to attach the fiber line to its proper position, which meant that the proper installation would raise the fiber line by approximately 8 inches higher than its previous location.