CEN13LA442

The pilot reported that he was applying agricultural product to a "J" shaped field. After he completed the aerial application to the "long" portion of the field, the pilot turned south to finish the "small' portion of the field. He stated that he checked the helicopter's light bar, which is often used by pilots as a navigation aid to fly on an indicated swath path. The pilot then "saw corn in the windshield," and the helicopter rolled upside down and subsequently came to rest on its left side. No mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation were detected during the helicopter's postaccident examination.

On July 29, 2013, about 0615 central daylight time, a Texas Helicopter Corp. OH-13H/M74A, N10009, collided with high vegetation and terrain during an aerial application flight near Streator, Illinois. The commercial pilot was not injured. The helicopter received substantial damage to the airframe. The helicopter was registered to and operated by Hendrickson Flying Service Inc. under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 as an aerial application flight. Visual flight rules prevailed for the flight, which was not operated on a flight plan. The flight departed from Toluca, Illinois about 0530. The pilot reported that he was spraying a "J" shaped field and had finished a long swath. He turned the helicopter to the south to finish a small section of the field. He stated that he was about 10 to 15 feet above the corn in level flight after completing the turn. He checked the helicopter's light bar, which is a navigation aid used by pilots to fly on an indicated swath path. The pilot said that the helicopter was about 10 to 15 seconds from entering the section of the field to be sprayed when he "saw corn in the windshield" and the helicopter rolled upside down and subsequently came to rest on its left side. At 0555, the recorded weather at the Pontiac Municipal Airport, near Pontiac, Illinois, was: Wind calm; visibility 10 statute miles; sky condition clear; temperature 10 degrees C; dew point 9 degrees C; altimeter 30.11 inches of mercury. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the wreckage. No mechanical malfunctions were detected during the helicopter's postaccident examination.