Incident Overview
During a preceding spray operation, the pilot observed that several spray nozzles were not functioning properly. To address this, he flushed the tanks with fresh water and partially refilled them with water to perform an airborne nozzle check.
The Event
While carrying out the check at approximately 30 feet above ground level (AGL), the pilot became engrossed in visually inspecting the boom nozzles. He did not notice a telephone line in his flight path until it was too late to avoid striking it. The line was severed upon impact.
Emergency Landing
After the collision, the pilot made an immediate landing in a muddy field. During the landing, the helicopter assumed a nose-high attitude, causing the tail rotor to strike the ground. This resulted in substantial damage to the aircraft.
Investigation Observations
The investigation noted the sequence of events leading to the accident, including the pilot's focus on the nozzle check and the subsequent encounter with the telephone line. No other factors or conclusions were provided in the source.