Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot's inadequate visual lookout and failure to maintain clearance from wires.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The local sightseeing flight departed Prescott to tour the Jerome, Cottonwood, and Verde Rivers areas in Arizona. The pilot was maneuvering through a dry river bed in a hilly area. He did not see a set of power lines until they hit the windshield about level with the top of the instrument panel. The nose immediately pitched up and then quickly pitched forward. The pilot estimated that the airspeed was 70 knots and that the altitude was 150 feet above ground level. He lowered the collective to enter an autorotation but delayed the flare until passing over a ridgeline. He was able to bleed off most of the airspeed and leveled the skids prior to touchdown; however, the skids dug into soft dirt and the helicopter pitched forward. The main rotor blades were still at 100 percent rpm when they struck the ground and sustained substantial damage. The helicopter rocked back and came to rest upright on the skids. The main rotor blades, mast, firewall, tail boom, and tail rotor driveshaft sustained substantial damage.
Source record
Factual narrative
The local sightseeing flight departed Prescott to tour the Jerome, Cottonwood, and Verde Rivers areas in Arizona. The pilot was maneuvering through a dry river bed in a hilly area. He did not see the power lines until they hit the windshield about level with the top of the instrument panel. The nose immediately pitched up and then quickly pitched forward. The pilot estimated that the airspeed was 70 knots, and the altitude was 150 feet above ground level (agl). He lowered the collective to enter an autorotation, but delayed the flare until passing over a ridgeline. He was able to bleed off most of the airspeed, and leveled the skids prior to touchdown; however, the skids dug into soft dirt, and the helicopter pitched forward. The main rotor blades were still at 100 percent revolutions per minute (rpm) when they struck the ground and sustained substantial damage. The helicopter rocked back, and came to rest upright on the skids. The main rotor blades, mast, firewall, tail boom, and tail rotor drive shaft sustained substantial damage.