Pre-Accident Actions
According to the pilot, he initially overflew the field and looked for power lines and transmission poles. He noticed one pole, but his attention was diverted, and he did not notice any other poles or power lines.
Approach and Hover
The pilot made his approach, brought the helicopter into a hover, and hovered for about one minute.
Departure and Impact
The pilot then looked for obstacles in his departure path but did not see any. He initiated the takeoff, and during the departure, the helicopter struck a power line.
Post-Impact Maneuver
Following the strike, the pilot performed an autorotation to the ground.