What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
September 20, 2018 12:30 zulu ? Clear sky with 20-25 mph wind. First flight of the day, the pilot lifted the aircraft off and clear of the helicopter transport trailer. Pilot came to a hover above the seeding bucket on another trailer so that the ground crew could hook the seeder bucket to the aircraft cargo hook. During this hover operation, the pilot noticed the aircraft suddenly settling when the mail rotor blades contacted the metal seed auger on the seed tender. With minimal control authority, the pilot managed an immediate landing of the damaged aircraft.
As the FAA filed it
SEPTEMBER 20, 2018 12:30 ZULU ? CLEAR SKY WITH 20-25 MPH WIND. FIRST FLIGHT OF THE DAY, THE PILOT LIFTED THE AIRCRAFT OFF AND CLEAR OF THE HELICOPTER TRANSPORT TRAILER. PILOT CAME TO A HOVER ABOVE THE SEEDING BUCKET ON ANOTHER TRAILER SO THAT THE GROUND CREW COULD HOOK THE SEEDER BUCKET TO THE AIRCRAFT CARGO HOOK. DURING THIS HOVER OPERATION, THE PILOT NOTICED THE AIRCRAFT SUDDENLY SETTLING WHEN THE MAIL ROTOR BLADES CONTACTED THE METAL SEED AUGER ON THE SEED TENDER. WITH MINIMAL CONTROL AUTHORITY, THE PILOT MANAGED AN IMMEDIATE LANDING OF THE DAMAGED AIRCRAFT.
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 N1349A · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.