Incident Description
During an agricultural spraying operation, a helicopter was being refueled from a 200-gallon fuel tank mounted on the rear of a truck. The truck was parked on a slight slope, with the outlet for the servicing hose positioned at the lower end. After the helicopter was serviced with 14 gallons of fuel, the pilot sprayed a 4-acre field and began spraying a 47-acre field.
While flying a swath run at an altitude of 4 to 6 feet above ground level, the engine lost power. The pilot immediately dumped the spray load and performed a straight-ahead landing. As the helicopter slid to a stop, it turned approximately 180 degrees.
Damage
During the sliding motion, the skids buckled, and the main rotor, tail boom, and canopy bubble were damaged.
Investigation Findings
After the accident, water was found in the carburetor.