It was a 500D
The lineman was being carried as a class B load.
Its legal in the US to do HEC (human exteranl cargo) as class B if it is a trainined crewmember on the line, but not with a passenger.
Actually. A lot of this goes on in the US for powerline work, filming, insertion of police etc. I'd say 10,000+ hours a year.
Has been going on since 1970, though it has greatly incresed since 2006. The is only the second accident, In the first both lived but had serious injuries. It was in the 70's and I cant find the report anymore.