What happened
On August 29, 2012, a Bell 206 B III helicopter, registration VT-TBA, was performing a charter flight from Morbi to Godhra. The flight, operated by Fast Helicharters India Pvt. Ltd., was intended to carry three passengers, but four individuals boarded the aircraft.
As the pilot approached the landing site—a concrete helipad situated in an open field—the aircraft crossed high-tension wires and experienced a sudden loss of altitude. In an attempt to arrest this sink, the pilot increased the collective pitch, which caused the engine and main rotor RPM to drop. Believing the aircraft was experiencing a governor failure, the pilot opted to proceed with a landing using forward speed.
During the final moments of the descent, approximately 25 feet above the ground, the pilot applied full collective and opened the throttle. This rapid movement caused the helicopter to yaw and bank sharply to the right. The aircraft struck the ground on the rear portion of the right skid. The impact caused the helicopter to roll over, resulting in the main rotor blades striking the tail boom and the rotor assembly becoming dislodged. Despite the substantial damage to the airframe, all five occupants escaped the crash without injury.
The investigation
An inquiry by the AAIB examined the aircraft's mechanical condition, the pilot's actions, and the flight preparations. Investigators found that the engine and its critical components, including the Fuel Control Unit and Power Turbine Governor, were fully functional and showed no signs of malfunction.
The investigation also scrutinized the loading of the aircraft. While the flight was planned for three passengers, the fourth passenger was boarded without a new Load and Trim sheet being prepared to account for the change in weight and center of gravity. Furthermore, the investigation noted that the pilot had not completed required simulator recurrent training. The ground conditions were also assessed; although the helipad was concrete, the surrounding area was soft due to recent rainfall, a factor the pilot did not fully account for during aerial reconnaissance.
Findings
- The aircraft was overloaded because the pilot failed to recalculate power and weight requirements after an additional passenger boarded.
- The pilot misidentified a drop in engine RPM as a governor failure, leading to an inappropriate landing technique.
- The pilot attempted to land on soft ground with forward speed, which increased the risk of the skids digging in.
- Rapid and large collective movements combined with inadequate rudder application caused the fatal yaw and bank during the final approach.