Incident Overview
On 27 June 2018, a Bell 412 EP helicopter, registration EC-KVC, operated by Babcock International Group PLC, was dispatched for a medical emergency service to evacuate a person injured in a traffic accident in Soto del Real, Madrid. The aircraft departed at approximately 11:05 UTC for the HEMS mission.
Sequence of Events
The crew initially landed in a nearby clearing around 11:30 UTC but could not transport the injured person to the helicopter due to terrain conditions. They then decided to land at the traffic accident site on a road. During the landing at 11:50 UTC, the main rotor blades contacted tree branches. A visual inspection revealed only superficial marks, so the operation continued.
During the subsequent flight, vibrations were felt in the rotor system. The crew performed a precautionary landing to transfer the patient to a ground ambulance. After inspecting the blades and finding no significant damage, they decided to return to base. Vibrations persisted during the return flight. After landing at base at 13:38 UTC, substantial damage to the main rotor blades was discovered, and the helicopter was taken out of service.
Damage and Injuries
The main rotor blades sustained detachment of fiberglass, damage to trim tabs, and deformities at the blade tips on both the extrados and intrados of four blades. No damage to the leading edges or other parts of the aircraft was observed. All six crew members and one passenger on board were uninjured. No other damage occurred.
Probable Cause
The investigation determined that the probable cause of the accident was the decision to land in an area whose dimensions were smaller than those indicated in the Operations Manual.