Aircraft and Flight Information
The accident involved a Bell 212 helicopter, serial number 30684, registration CS-HFJ. It was manufactured in 1975 and equipped with two Pratt & Whitney PT6T3 engines in a Twin Pack configuration. The operator was Helisul Lda. The helicopter was based at the Mêda Air Means Center (CMA). The pilot, 31 years old and of Portuguese nationality, held an Airline Pilot License (Helicopter) with type ratings in Bell 212 and other models, along with an instrument rating and a valid Class 1 medical certificate. Flight and service time records, despite some inconsistencies between operator and pilot data, indicated compliance with regulations and no apparent correlation with the event. No medical factors were identified as contributing to the occurrence.
On 18 October 2011, at 15:23 UTC, the helicopter departed from CMA Mêda with one pilot and eight passengers for a firefighting mission near Vila Boa do Mondego. Prior to departure, the helicopter was refueled with 575 liters (approximately 465 kg) of fuel. The pilot reported a total of 1,200 lb (544 kg) of fuel on board.
Accident Description
The firefighting mission lasted 1 hour and 19 minutes, during which the helicopter performed an estimated 29 water collection and dumping circuits. At 16:56, after completing the mission, the team was collected for the return flight to CMA Mêda. During the return journey, while passing through the Trancoso area, low fuel indications appeared on both fuel systems. Shortly thereafter, engine #2 stopped operating. The pilot commenced procedures for an emergency landing. While flying toward a clear area at a lower elevation, engine #1 also failed. At 17:03, as the pilot conducted a rolled emergency landing following autorotation, the helicopter approached the ground with a left drift. The right skid made contact with the ground, causing the helicopter to roll onto its right side and come to rest in a nearly inverted position.
Meteorological conditions at the time were reported as clear sky, light westerly wind, visibility of 10 km or more, and temperature around 20°C. The accident location was near Golfar, Trancoso, Guarda, at coordinates N040° 48′ 19.9″, W007° 20′ 07.5″.
Injuries and Damage
All nine occupants—one pilot and eight passengers—exited the aircraft unharmed, with no injuries reported. The aircraft cabin remained intact, preserving the survival space for the occupants. However, the helicopter sustained substantial damage. The primary structure was significantly damaged, with the main rotor and transmission gearbox destroyed. The tail, including the elevator, and the skids also suffered significant damage.
Investigation Findings
The former GPIAA was notified and initiated a safety investigation in accordance with EU Regulation No. 996/2010 and Portuguese Decree-Law No. 318/99. Due to internal resource limitations, the investigation was not completed until after the creation of GPIAAF in 2017. The investigation team determined that the event had low complexity and that the extractable safety learning was limited. The occurrence was classified as an accident, with the type of event described as powerplant power loss due to fuel exhaustion. The team presented the relevant evidence and findings in a summary report format.