What happened
On August 30, 2025, at approximately 14:34 local time, a Robinson R44 II helicopter was conducting a local flight in the Los Lagos Region of Chile. The flight originated from Pilauco Aerodrome (SCOP) with a planned destination of the Osorno Air Club, located at the Cañal Bajo – Carlos Hott Siebert Aerodrome (SCJO).
During the landing phase at the Osorno Air Club, the aircraft experienced a loss of control in flight (LOC-I), which led to an impact with the terrain. The helicopter came to rest on its left side adjacent to the runway at coordinates 40°31'50.95"S, 73°03'42.34"W. Despite the severity of the impact, the pilot and the single passenger were both uninjured.
The investigation
DGAC Chile investigators conducted an on-site inspection of the wreckage and the surrounding environment. The examination of the Robinson R44 II revealed extensive structural damage. The landing skids were fractured, with the right skid broken and the left skid deformed due to the ground impact. The main rotor blades were fractured and deformed, and the tail rotor blades also sustained fractures. Additionally, the tail cone suffered structural failure, the engine compartment showed significant deformation to the cowlings and engine mount, and the windshield was fractured and displaced.
Investigators also noted that the fuel tanks were empty, a condition attributed to fractures and deformations in the tanks caused by the crash. While the seatbelts were found to be functional, they were in the unfastened position at the time of inspection. Meteorological data from the time of the accident indicated high-pressure conditions with cloud cover (cumulus and altocumulus) and a southeast wind of approximately 14 km/h. The investigation noted that local topography could potentially induce updrafts or downdrafts in the area.
Findings
- The aircraft experienced a loss of control in flight during the landing phase.
- The impact with the ground caused significant structural damage to the rotor system, tail boom, and landing gear.
- The aircraft's fuel was lost due to structural breaches in the fuel tanks caused by the impact.