Accident Details
A helicopter taking off sustained substantial damage after contacting a power line and pole. The pilot provided an account of the incident, describing a slow vertical liftoff followed by a left pedal turn. The aircraft immediately encountered wires located approximately 10 to 12 feet north of a depot and at a height of about 14 to 15 feet. The pilot noted that he did not see the wires and that he had never seen wires so close to a fuel depot.
Sequence of Events
According to the pilot's report, the tail rotor struck the wires first, which 'reeled' the helicopter backward into the pole. Subsequently, the main rotor made contact with the pole before the helicopter impacted the ground. The pilot stated that it took several seconds to shut down the engine due to violent bouncing of the aircraft.
Pilot's Safety Recommendation
The pilot recommended that the wires should at the very least be marked or identified with a sign or placard. He emphasized that the wires should not have been so close to the fuel depot—within 15 to 20 feet—and that they should have been underground.
Damage
The helicopter sustained substantial damage from the impact with the ground following the wire and pole contact.