What happened
The pilot departed from the company base and proceeded to a field located near Salinas. Upon arrival, he conducted agricultural spraying operations using chemicals for approximately one hour and thirty minutes. After completing this segment of the work, the pilot intended to proceed to a nearby company truck to acquire an additional load of chemicals and fuel.
During the transit to the refueling point, the aircraft exhausted its fuel supply. The helicopter was forced to land hard on the ground. The impact caused the main rotor assembly to sever the tail boom of the aircraft.
Findings
The primary factor leading to the accident was the depletion of fuel during flight operations. The mechanical failure of the airframe, specifically the separation of the tail boom, was a direct result of the hard landing necessitated by the lack of power.