What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 7/26/2022 at 0435, privacy data omitted Eurocopter AS365N3, while responding to an ems/haa call, the pilot struck high tension wires during approach to the landing zone and experienced a hard landing. Pilot failed to identify the high-tension wires prior to landing.
The pilot was made aware of wires in the vicinity of landing zone (lz) but failed to perform a 360 degree reconnaisance maneuver or other appropriate means to identify obstacles. This particular flight path was depicted by a flightaware image of the flight in question.
However, per the interview, the pilot thought he had completed a 360 degree high reconnaissance pass.
In this particular accident, the lz set up by the local fire department(s) was set up incorrectly as it included high tenstion wires within the landing zone itself.
As the FAA filed it
ON 7/26/2022 AT 0435, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ EUROCOPTER AS365N3, WHILE RESPONDING TO AN EMS/HAA CALL, THE PILOT STRUCK HIGH TENSION WIRES DURING APPROACH TO THE LANDING ZONE AND EXPERIENCED A HARD LANDING. PILOT FAILED TO IDENTIFY THE HIGH-TENSION WIRES PRIOR TO LANDING.
THE PILOT WAS MADE AWARE OF WIRES IN THE VICINITY OF LANDING ZONE (LZ) BUT FAILED TO PERFORM A 360 DEGREE RECONNAISANCE MANEUVER OR OTHER APPROPRIATE MEANS TO IDENTIFY OBSTACLES. THIS PARTICULAR FLIGHT PATH WAS DEPICTED BY A FLIGHTAWARE IMAGE OF THE FLIGHT IN QUESTION.
HOWEVER, PER THE INTERVIEW, THE PILOT THOUGHT HE HAD COMPLETED A 360 DEGREE HIGH RECONNAISSANCE PASS.
IN THIS PARTICULAR ACCIDENT, THE LZ SET UP BY THE LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT(S) WAS SET UP INCORRECTLY AS IT INCLUDED HIGH TENSTION WIRES WITHIN THE LANDING ZONE ITSELF.
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 N520CF · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.