Accident Overview
A helicopter being used in an external load operation to transport Christmas trees from a field to a drop zone (DZ) for truck loading experienced a loss of control and crashed. During an approach to the DZ, the pilot did not maintain sufficient altitude or clearance to keep the load clear of obstructions. Subsequently, control was lost, and the helicopter traveled 100 to 200 feet backwards. It then struck the ground tail-first, rolled over, and sustained extensive damage. Trees from the load were scattered between the obstacle and the main wreckage.
Examination Findings
An examination of the helicopter revealed that the pilot had only a manual means of releasing the load at the helicopter. The electrical release system had been rewired to provide power to the bottom hook only. Additionally, one of the ground personnel reported that the hook had been malfunctioning.
Pilot Experience and Certification
The pilot had accumulated 5 hours of dual time and 8 hours of pilot-in-command time in external load operations. However, she did not possess the required letter of competency for this type of operation.