What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On February 15, 2022, at approximately 2130 hours PST, a Bell UH-1H helicopter registered as N72297 impacted terrain under unknown circumstances approximately 8 miles south east of a field it was originally dispensing product in.
The pilot had been dispensing product in the first field but due to unfavorable wind conditions he decided to transition to another field that was on the list for the night. While flying over the second field, he radioed his ground crew and canceled the application to that field as well. He did not indicate to the ground crew where he was going next. The ground crew assumed he would be going to the third field on the list and drove to the location to wait for him. The helicopter never arrived at the next field. The helicopter was not located until approximately 0320 hours the next morning. The pilot (sole occupant) sustained fatal injuries. The helicopter appeared to have impacted the ground in a level nose low attitude in an orchard. The helicopter came to rest on its left side facing approximately 180 degrees from its direction of travel. There was no post crash fire. The aircraft is equipped with a crash resistant fuel tank and it remained intact.
As the FAA filed it
ON FEBRUARY 15, 2022, AT APPROXIMATELY 2130 HOURS PST, A BELL UH-1H HELICOPTER REGISTERED AS N72297 IMPACTED TERRAIN UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES APPROXIMATELY 8 MILES SOUTH EAST OF A FIELD IT WAS ORIGINALLY DISPENSING PRODUCT IN.
THE PILOT HAD BEEN DISPENSING PRODUCT IN THE FIRST FIELD BUT DUE TO UNFAVORABLE WIND CONDITIONS HE DECIDED TO TRANSITION TO ANOTHER FIELD THAT WAS ON THE LIST FOR THE NIGHT. WHILE FLYING OVER THE SECOND FIELD, HE RADIOED HIS GROUND CREW AND CANCELED THE APPLICATION TO THAT FIELD AS WELL. HE DID NOT INDICATE TO THE GROUND CREW WHERE HE WAS GOING NEXT. THE GROUND CREW ASSUMED HE WOULD BE GOING TO THE THIRD FIELD ON THE LIST AND DROVE TO THE LOCATION TO WAIT FOR HIM. THE HELICOPTER NEVER ARRIVED AT THE NEXT FIELD. THE HELICOPTER WAS NOT LOCATED UNTIL APPROXIMATELY 0320 HOURS THE NEXT MORNING. THE PILOT (SOLE OCCUPANT) SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. THE HELICOPTER APPEARED TO HAVE IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A LEVEL NOSE LOW ATTITUDE IN AN ORCHARD. THE HELICOPTER CAME TO REST ON ITS LEFT SIDE FACING APPROXIMATELY 180 DEGREES FROM ITS DIRECTION OF TRAVEL. THERE WAS NO POST CRASH FIRE. THE AIRCRAFT IS EQUIPPED WITH A CRASH RESISTANT FUEL TANK AND IT REMAINED INTACT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.