Hershey, PA, USA
N16EP
BELL 206B
The pilot reported that before the accident flight, there was a trainee pilot in the agricultural application helicopter who preferred no friction on the controls. Once the trainee pilot left, the accident pilot forgot to adjust the control friction. During the accident flight, the helicopter was spraying a wheat field at 55 mph and about 10 feet above the ground. The pilot let go of the collective to adjust the helicopter's computer. The collective subsequently lowered and the helicopter impacted terrain, coming to rest on its side, with the tail boom separated. The pilot stated that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have prevented normal operation.
The pilot reported that prior to the accident flight, there was a trainee pilot in the agricultural application helicopter, who preferred no friction on the controls. Once the trainee left, the pilot forgot to adjust the control friction. During the accident flight, the helicopter was spraying a wheat field at 55 mph, about 10 feet above the ground. The pilot let go of the collective to adjust the helicopter's "Crophawk" computer. The collective subsequently lowered and the helicopter impacted terrain. The pilot added that there were no preimact mechanical malfunctions with the helicopter. Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that during the impact, the tailboom separated and the helicopter came to rest on its right side.
The pilot's diverted attention while performing aerial application at low altitude, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to adjust the control friction to the position he was accustomed.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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