What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot and general manager were surveying power lines for storm damage for first energy power company. While operating at approximately 80 feet AGL between two microwave towers, the main rotor blades contacted copper wires resulting in damage to the yellow, blue, and red blades. Pilot made a successful emergency landing with no further damage to the aircraft. Pilot stated that the copper wires had corroded green and blended in with the leaves on the trees making them imperceptible.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT AND GENERAL MANAGER WERE SURVEYING POWER LINES FOR STORM DAMAGE FOR FIRST ENERGY POWER COMPANY. WHILE OPERATING AT APPROXIMATELY 80 FEET AGL BETWEEN TWO MICROWAVE TOWERS, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES CONTACTED COPPER WIRES RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO THE YELLOW, BLUE, AND RED BLADES. PILOT MADE A SUCCESSFUL EMERGENCY LANDING WITH NO FURTHER DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. PILOT STATED THAT THE COPPER WIRES HAD CORRODED GREEN AND BLENDED IN WITH THE LEAVES ON THE TREES MAKING THEM IMPERCEPTIBLE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N89ZC · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.