Accident Overview
At 1045 central daylight time on August 14, 2008, a Bell Helicopter 47G-3B, registered as N47AH, collided with terrain following a loss of control while taking off from a support truck in Kenyon, Minnesota. The helicopter was operating as an aerial application flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight was originating at the time of the accident. The pilot was not injured, and the helicopter sustained substantial damage.
Narrative
The pilot reported that he had flown several aerial application flights earlier in the day and that the humidity had increased as the weather cleared. He stated that the initial takeoff was normal. When the helicopter was about 100 yards from the support truck, the rotor rpm began to decay, and the helicopter settled into a soybean field. The spray boom caught in the crop, causing the helicopter to pitch forward, which resulted in the main rotor blades contacting the ground. The aft section of the tailboom, including the tail rotor, separated from the helicopter.
Findings
The pilot reported no mechanical malfunction or failure with the helicopter. He noted that he should have decreased his load due to the weather conditions.