Accident Details
A helicopter engaged in aerial application over an almond orchard collided with the ground in a nose-down attitude as it completed a spray run. The pilot subsequently told the company owner and his family members that the flight controls "went away" and that he could not overpower them as the helicopter descended.
According to the owner of the helicopter company, during the spray run the pilot flew up and over a powerline located approximately 100 feet from the orchard. The owner reported that the pilot said he heard a noise while flying over the powerline and then experienced the loss of control.
Investigation
Detailed examination and functional tests of various components of the helicopter's control systems failed to find any evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction. The tail stinger of the helicopter and an exemplar sample of the copper powerline wire were examined in a laboratory; no wire transfer marks were found on the tail stinger.
Pilot Information
The pilot, who held an airline transport certificate with over 32,000 hours of total flight time (28,000 of which were in helicopters), was transported to a hospital after the accident. Tests later determined that he had fractured his back. He died during a surgical procedure two days after the accident.