Airbus EC 120B Crash at Skogn Airfield (LN-OTO)

Incident Overview On 25 May 2018, a privately owned Airbus Helicopters EC 120 B with registration LN-OTO crashed at Skogn airfield in Levanger municipality, Trøndelag, Norway. The accident occurred at approximately 19:20 local time. The aircraft was operating a private flight and was carrying the pilot and one passenger at the time of the accident. The pilot, a 52-year-old holder of a private pilot license (PPL-H), had a total of 143 flight hours, including 8 hours on the EC 120 type. The weather was clear with good visibility, light northwest wind, and daylight conditions. The flight originated from Trondheim Værnes Airport (ENVA) and had made a stop at Meråker before heading to Skogn. The pilot had obtained permission to land from the airfield owner. During the approach from the southeast, the pilot observed that the wind had shifted, indicated by a windsock. He aborted the approach and turned left over the field to re-establish a new approach. Shortly after crossing back over the runway, the helicopter began turning to the left. The pilot applied right pedal and pulled the collective, but the aircraft continued to rotate and descend. The pilot heard an alarm which he initially identified as a low RPM alarm, but which was later determined to be an over-torque alarm. The helicopter drifted left, struck the ground with its left skid, and rolled onto its side. A witness with a pilot background observed the helicopter becoming unstable and losing control. The helicopter came to rest in a field near the airfield. The pilot and passenger exited the aircraft quickly. No fire occurred. Emergency services responded promptly. The passenger sustained a laceration to the hand and was taken to a hospital for stitches. The pilot was uninjured. The emergency locator transmitter was activated during the accident and its signal was detected on 121.5 MHz by several flights and air traffic services. ## Technical Investigation The Norwegian Transport Safety Authority (SHT) conducted a technical investigation of the aircraft the following week, assisted by an external EC 120 technician. No mechanical faults were found that could explain the loss of control. The tail rotor control system was inspected and found to be functioning correctly. The aircraft sustained significant structural damage, including all four main rotor blades being bent and their attachments to the rotor head being damaged. The suspension bars between the fuselage and main gearbox were deformed. The VEMD system recorded an over-torque parameter of 111% during the final flight. The aircraft's maximum allowable takeoff mass is 1,715 kg; at the time of the accident, the mass was approximately 1,475 kg, with the center of gravity within limits.