What happened
On July 29, 2023, at approximately 12:06 EDT, a Bell 206-L4 helicopter, registration N652HA, was performing agricultural spraying operations over a cornfield south of Interstate 70 near Springfield, Ohio. The flight was being conducted under Part 137 regulations.
While the pilot was spraying the field, a ground crew traveling to a rendezvous point noticed the aircraft's position had disappeared from a flight tracking website. After being unable to reach the pilot via radio or telephone, the crew observed traffic delays on the nearby interstate caused by downed powerlines. A nearby pilot was requested to perform an aerial search, which confirmed that the helicopter had impacted the cornfield near the powerlines.
The aircraft came to rest approximately 150 feet east of four high-tension powerlines. The impact severed the middle two wires, which were between 75 and 100 feet tall, while the top and bottom wires remained undamaged. ADS-B data indicated the pilot had made several east-west passes over the field and had previously flown over the powerlines, suggesting the obstacle was known. The final recorded data point from the aircraft's AG-Nav console occurred at 12:06:26, during a turn to the east, shortly before the impact.
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage and found that all major components of the helicopter were present at the site. The tail boom had separated from the fuselage, and the main rotor blades showed various gouges and creases. While the bottom wire strike protection unit was largely undamaged, the top unit was bent and showed signs of scraping.
Mechanical analysis of the aircraft revealed no malfunctions or deficiencies that would have prevented normal operation. The fuel tank remained intact and contained a significant amount of clean fuel. The pilot, a commercial pilot with approximately 5,166 total flight hours, died from multiple blunt force injuries sustained in the crash. Toxicology results were negative.
Findings
- The pilot was performing an east-west spraying pattern over the cornfield.
- The aircraft had previously flown over the powerlines during the same operation.
- There was no evidence of mechanical failure or malfunction prior to the impact.