What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
2022-08-16 N641RZ Robinson R66 Millville MN privacy data omitted part 137 agricultural application struck power line.
Airman completed east to west recon of applicable field, began spraying east to west, completed east to west application. To finish the west side of the field airman completed north to south recon of the applicable field, began spraying north to south, approximately ¾ southbound, detected power lines above, lowered collective completely in an attempt to avoid the hazard if possible. Power lines made contact to the main rotor blades and the mast just below the rotor blades causing the helicopter to pitch upward. Tail rotor made contact to the corn during pitch up attitude. Right spin was induced, after several spins and attempt to regain control of the yaw, contact was made with the tail rotor and vertical stabilizer to a nearby street sign, after uncontrolled yaw was arrested, low RPM dictated a hover auto to ground. Damage to aircraft included both main rotor blades, both tail rotor blades and lower vertical stabilizer. Airman worked with company owner and chief pilot to initiate new procedures to mitigate risk including a more thorough reconnaissance of field to identify hazards prior to field entry.
As the FAA filed it
2022-08-16 N641RZ ROBINSON R66 MILLVILLE MN ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ PART 137 AGRICULTURAL APPLICATION STRUCK POWER LINE.
AIRMAN COMPLETED EAST TO WEST RECON OF APPLICABLE FIELD, BEGAN SPRAYING EAST TO WEST, COMPLETED EAST TO WEST APPLICATION. TO FINISH THE WEST SIDE OF THE FIELD AIRMAN COMPLETED NORTH TO SOUTH RECON OF THE APPLICABLE FIELD, BEGAN SPRAYING NORTH TO SOUTH, APPROXIMATELY ¾ SOUTHBOUND, DETECTED POWER LINES ABOVE, LOWERED COLLECTIVE COMPLETELY IN AN ATTEMPT TO AVOID THE HAZARD IF POSSIBLE. POWER LINES MADE CONTACT TO THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES AND THE MAST JUST BELOW THE ROTOR BLADES CAUSING THE HELICOPTER TO PITCH UPWARD. TAIL ROTOR MADE CONTACT TO THE CORN DURING PITCH UP ATTITUDE. RIGHT SPIN WAS INDUCED, AFTER SEVERAL SPINS AND ATTEMPT TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE YAW, CONTACT WAS MADE WITH THE TAIL ROTOR AND VERTICAL STABILIZER TO A NEARBY STREET SIGN, AFTER UNCONTROLLED YAW WAS ARRESTED, LOW RPM DICTATED A HOVER AUTO TO GROUND. DAMAGE TO AIRCRAFT INCLUDED BOTH MAIN ROTOR BLADES, BOTH TAIL ROTOR BLADES AND LOWER VERTICAL STABILIZER. AIRMAN WORKED WITH COMPANY OWNER AND CHIEF PILOT TO INITIATE NEW PROCEDURES TO MITIGATE RISK INCLUDING A MORE THOROUGH RECONNAISSANCE OF FIELD TO IDENTIFY HAZARDS PRIOR TO FIELD ENTRY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.