What happened
On July 6, 2020, a EUROCOPTER AS350 B2, registration EC-MVV, operated by HELITRESS PYRINEES, was performing aerial construction work involving concrete piling for a high-voltage power line in the municipality of La Vansa i Fórnols, Lleida. During the operation, a ground technician sustained a minor hand injury. To ensure the worker received medical attention, the pilot decided to transport him to La Seu d’Urgell Airport.
The pilot performed a landing on a nearby road to pick up the injured individual. Immediately following the pickup, the aircraft began a flight toward the aerodrome on a heading of 290º. During this transit, the helicopter struck a steep, rugged hillside, resulting in a high rate of descent and a subsequent intense fire that destroyed the forward section of the aircraft. The impact and fire resulted in two fatalities.
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage and the engine, an ARRIEL 1D1. While the specific reason for the engine's power loss could not be definitively identified, evidence indicated the engine was likely malfunctioning. The investigation noted that the aircraft was flying at a very low altitude—likely less than 100 feet—while traversing steep terrain.
Analysis of the flight profile suggested that the pilot's decision to fly in a straight line toward the airport, rather than gaining altitude to clear the mountains, left no margin for error. Furthermore, the investigation found that the pilot'1s attention may have been divided by the presence of the injured passenger, potentially delaying the critical reaction time needed to initiate an autorotation.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the impossibility of executing a safe autorotation maneuver due to the extremely low altitude at the time of the engine power loss.
- The pilots exhibited a low perception of the risks associated with low-altitude operations and an over-reliance on the high reliability of the aircraft's engines.
- The decision to perform a hasty transfer of an injured person contributed to the unsafe flight conditions.
- The flight path involved flying through a high-risk zone of the height-velocity curve, where the terrain was too precipitous to allow for an emergency landing.
Safety action
Following the investigation, it was noted that SAFRAN has since updated its processes for following up on damaged equipment and repairing/overhauling components to improve the robustness of maintenance documentation.