Background
The helicopter was positioned on a platform mounted on top of an agricultural chemical truck. The pilot was waiting for the ground crew to reload the helicopter before the next operation.
Accident Sequence
During the reloading process, the pilot misinterpreted a hand and arm signal from a ground crew member and initiated a takeoff. Shortly after lift-off, the pilot realized that the filler hose was still attached when the helicopter yawed to the right and simultaneously banked to the left.
In response, the pilot attempted a right pedal turn to avoid tail rotor contact with the truck and tried to position the helicopter as far from the truck as possible. However, as the helicopter descended, the main rotor blades struck the truck. The helicopter then came to rest on its left side.
Damage
The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tail rotor drive system and the main rotor system. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.