What happened
On 25 June 2005, an Aerospatiale AS 350 B, registration EI-CGQ, was conducting a private flight to Weston Airport for the purpose of refueling. After arriving at the airport, the pilot began air taxiing toward the Jet A1 refueling area on the ramp. During the maneuver, the pilot attempted to reverse the aircraft to avoid potentially obstructing the exit path of the airport's Crash Rescue Service (CRS) vehicle.
While performing this backward movement, the tail rotor of the helicopter struck an Avgas fuel pump. The impact caused the tail rotor blades to disintegrate and sent the aircraft into an uncontrollable horizontal spin. The helicopter subsequently performed a hard landing on the tarmac. While the aircraft suffered extensive damage to the tail boom, tail rotor head, and skids, there were no injuries to the pilot and no fire resulted from the collision.
The investigation
The investigation examined the sequence of the pilot's maneuvers and the layout of the refueling area. It was noted that the pilot was managing several simultaneous concerns, including the positioning of a second helicopter, the presence of nearby fixed-wing aircraft, and the need to maintain clearance for the airport's emergency vehicle. The investigation also reviewed the history of the site, noting a similar incident involving a different aircraft occurred at the same dispenser in 2004.
Investigators found that at the time of the accident, the area around the fuel dispensers lacked adequate ground safety markings to clearly delineate danger zones. Additionally, the investigation looked into the placement of the CRS vehicle and the configuration of the fueling equipment.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the failure to maintain adequate clearance while maneuvering near the static fuel dispenser.
- The pilot's attempt to reverse the aircraft without a ground marshaller or crewman increased the difficulty of ensuring the tail rotor remained clear of obstacles.
- A contributing factor was the lack of visible ground markings around the fuel pumps to indicate hazardous zones.
- The investigation noted that the tail rotor blades struck the dispenser, causing significant structural damage to the aircraft's rear fuselage and drive shaft.