Bell 206L-4 Accident at Collado de Bujaruelo (EC-FTM)

Incident Overview and Context On Friday, January 30, 2004, a Bell 206L-4 helicopter, registration EC-FTM, operated by Helicópteros del Sureste, S. A., crashed at Collado de Bujaruelo in the municipality of Torla, Huesca, Spain. The aircraft was engaged in a commercial aerial work operation to assist in the repair of a high-voltage power line connecting Spain and France. A previous inspection had identified a broken cable in a mountainous area at an elevation of approximately 2,500 meters, which was inaccessible by ground due to heavy snow cover. ## Operational Details and Sequence of Events The helicopter had previously transported repair personnel and equipment to the site. During the operation, the crew attempted to extract a section of the buried power cable from under 130 to 140 cm of snow. A 20-meter sling was attached to the helicopter's load hook, connected to a 1-meter sling loop that encircled the cable. The helicopter positioned itself vertically above the cable, angled 45 degrees to the power line, and lifted vertically to pull the cable free. According to the pilot in command, a sudden jolt occurred during one of the lifts, causing the aircraft to swing and descend while yawing to the left. The pilot activated the load hook release button, but the hook did not open. The pilot reported hearing two detonations from the engine, followed by a vertical descent. The aircraft subsequently pitched down, oscillated laterally and longitudinally, and pitched up before striking the ground. ## Damage and Injuries The helicopter first impacted the ground with its tail, causing the main rotor blades to strike and sever the tail. The aircraft then rolled onto its right side. The tail was severed into three pieces, and all main and tail rotor blades were destroyed. The main rotor mast was fractured, and the airframe sustained multiple structural fractures. Both occupants, a 30-year-old pilot in command and a 59-year-old co-pilot, exited the aircraft under their own power and were not injured. ## Crew and Aircraft Information The pilot in command held a commercial helicopter pilot license and had 2,556 total flight hours, including 1,012 hours on the Bell 206 type. The co-pilot, who was at the controls at the time of the accident, held an Austrian commercial helicopter pilot license that was not validated by the Spanish Directorate General of Civil Aviation, meaning he was not legally authorized to perform the function. He had 12,000 total flight hours, including 5,800 hours on Bell helicopters. The aircraft was equipped with an Allison 250-C30P engine and a factory-installed external load hook system. The engine's anti-ice system was not connected during the operation.