What happened
On the evening of 11 January 2006, a pilot operating an Agusta 109A, registration N745HA, diverted from an established instrument approach to Dublin Airport to perform a night landing on a private lawn. The landing site was located adjacent to Omega House, a large office building near the Dublin Airport perimeter, where the pilot maintained a business office. The pilot had previously used this area for landings with the permission of the property owners.
As the aircraft was descending toward the ground, the tail rotor made contact with a black, unlit car park light pole. The pole, which stood approximately 4 feet tall, was positioned at the edge of the car park. The impact destroyed the light standard and caused substantial damage to the helicopter's tail rotor area. The pilot exited the aircraft without injury, and no fire occurred during the incident.
The investigation
Investigators examined the damage to the aircraft and the site conditions. The impact caused severe damage to both tail rotor blades, including the loss of a tip cap weight which struck the fuselage and stabilizer. The tail rotor gearbox shifted within its mounting, resulting in cracked fairings and popped rivets. There was also potential damage to the tail rotor drive shaft and coupling.
Regarding the site, the investigation found that the light pole was part of a series of black poles around the car park, many of which were missing bulbs. The investigation also noted that the landing site at Omega House was not an officially designated heliport for night operations under the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) regulations. Furthermore, the pilot failed to notify the AAIU of the occurrence before transporting the aircraft to a maintenance facility.
Findings
- The helicopter struck an unlit obstacle while attempting to land at an unapproved site.
- The landing was conducted in violation of the Rules of the Air, as the location was not an authorized heliport for night operations.