What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On July 6, 2018, at approximately 5:30PM eastern daylight time (EDT), a Bell 47G, N96195, impacted a corn field near Arlington, Indiana.
The commercial pilot was fatally injured and the aircraft was substantially damaged from impact and a post-impact fire. The helicopter was registered to the pilot and was operating under the provisions of title 14 code of federal regulations part 137 as an agriculture aerial application flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed or required.
The pilot departed a farm lot, where a ground crew and nurse truck supplied both fuel and spray chemical. During the aerial application, the aircraft impacted the field and then came to rest inverted. The mast/rotor blade assembly was found approximately 65 feet north of the main wreckage.
As the FAA filed it
ON JULY 6, 2018, AT APPROXIMATELY 5:30PM EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME (EDT), A BELL 47G, N96195, IMPACTED A CORN FIELD NEAR ARLINGTON, INDIANA.
THE COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED FROM IMPACT AND A POST-IMPACT FIRE. THE HELICOPTER WAS REGISTERED TO THE PILOT AND WAS OPERATING UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 137 AS AN AGRICULTURE AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED OR REQUIRED.
THE PILOT DEPARTED A FARM LOT, WHERE A GROUND CREW AND NURSE TRUCK SUPPLIED BOTH FUEL AND SPRAY CHEMICAL. DURING THE AERIAL APPLICATION, THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE FIELD AND THEN CAME TO REST INVERTED. THE MAST/ROTOR BLADE ASSEMBLY WAS FOUND APPROXIMATELY 65 FEET NORTH OF THE MAIN WRECKAGE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.