What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
According to the passenger, on the third load the helicopter came off the truck, turned directly into the wind. As the aircraft cleared the power lines the low RPM light came on. Pilot kept it into the wind looking for a place to land. Helicopter crossed the highway and a tree line. The field directly below was to narrow. The next tree line was a little taller. The left side spray boom made contact with a tree. There was soy bean field directly below. Pilot made the approach & flared. The helicopter made contact skids first in line with the direction of motion. It bounced one time & landed on its left side.
As the FAA filed it
ACCORDING TO THE PASSENGER, ON THE THIRD LOAD THE HELICOPTER CAME OFF THE TRUCK, TURNED DIRECTLY INTO THE WIND. AS THE AIRCRAFT CLEARED THE POWER LINES THE LOW RPM LIGHT CAME ON. PILOT KEPT IT INTO THE WIND LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO LAND. HELICOPTER CROSSED THE HIGHWAY AND A TREE LINE. THE FIELD DIRECTLY BELOW WAS TO NARROW. THE NEXT TREE LINE WAS A LITTLE TALLER. THE LEFT SIDE SPRAY BOOM MADE CONTACT WITH A TREE. THERE WAS SOY BEAN FIELD DIRECTLY BELOW. PILOT MADE THE APPROACH & FLARED. THE HELICOPTER MADE CONTACT SKIDS FIRST IN LINE WITH THE DIRECTION OF MOTION. IT BOUNCED ONE TIME & LANDED ON ITS LEFT SIDE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.