What happened
The flight ended in a loss of directional control during the landing roll phase. As the aircraft was decelerating on the runway, it veered sharply to the right side of the pavement. The out-of-control excursion led the aircraft to strike a ditch located adjacent to the runway surface. Following the impact with the ground obstacle, the nose of the aircraft collapsed or nosed over.
The investigation
Investigators examined the circumstances surrounding the loss of control and identified specific environmental factors present at the time of the accident. A helicopter was observed hovering to the left side of the landing runway during the incident. This proximity created wake turbulence that extended toward the active runway, which is a known hazard for aircraft operating in close proximity to rotorcraft.
Findings
The primary factor contributing to the accident was the wake turbulence generated by the hovering helicopter. This aerodynamic disturbance likely caused the pilot to lose directional control of the aircraft during the critical landing roll. Additionally, light and variable winds were present at the time, which may have influenced the dispersion of the wake turbulence or made runway alignment more difficult for the pilot.