NYC96LA145

The helicopter collided with power lines after the pilot completed an aerial spray run of a cranberry bog. According to the pilot, '...As I was departing the bog, I saw wires directly in front of me. I pulled back on the cyclic and raised the collective to try to fly over the wires. I cleared the wires initially, but could not recover from the maneuver before contacting the ground. The wind was behind me, and when at the top of the pull-up, I realized I couldn't fly out of it, and did a right 180 degree pedal turn, and lowered the nose to dive into the wind, I hit the ground in a level attitude before I could complete the maneuver.'

On July 8, 1996, at 1240 eastern daylight time, a Bell 47G-5, a helicopter, N8591F, was substantially damaged when it collided with wires after takeoff from a cranberry bog, near Carver, Massachusetts. The certificated commercial pilot received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the positioning flight that was destined for Plymouth, Massachusetts. No flight plan had been filed for the flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

In the NTSB Form 6120.1/2, the pilot stated:

"...I had just finished fertilizing the 'telephone' piece of the Smith-Hammond bog...As I was departing the bog, I saw wires directly in front of me. I pulled back on the cyclic and raised the collective to try to fly over the wires. I cleared the wires initially, but could not recover from the maneuver before contacting the ground. The wind was from behind me, and when at the top of the pull-up I realized I couldn't fly out of it, and did a right 180 degree pedal turn and lowered the nose to dive into the wind. I hit the ground in a level attitude before I could complete the maneuver..."

According to a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector, the helicopter struck the wires between the poles. Examination of the wreckage revealed no preimpact malfunction of the helicopter's systems or controls.