Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a pole while maneuvering during an aerial application flight.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
During an aerial application flight, the pilot was spraying water on a field to wash the hopper tank for the next load of chemicals. During the second pass, the pilot attempted to clear a wire that ran perpendicular to his flight path by descending beneath it at an altitude of approximately 5 feet. The pilot reported that the outer end of one main rotor blade struck the pole and the helicopter impacted the ground and rolled over.
Source record
Factual narrative
The pilot was spraying water on a field to wash the hopper tank for the next load of chemicals. On the second pass the pilot attempted to clear a wire that ran perpendicular to his flight path by descending beneath it at an altitude of approximately 5 feet. The pilot reported that the outer end of one main rotor blade struck the pole and the helicopter hit the ground and rolled over.