What happened
On June 20, 2002, at approximately 12:30 local time, an Eurocopter SA-316B (Alouette III), registration EC-FMA, was engaged in aerial firefighting operations in the municipality of Totana, Murcia. The aircraft had departed from its base in Zarzilla de Ramos at 11:50 to assist in suppressing a wildfire in the area.
While performing water drops using a "bambi bucket" external tank, the pilot completed a tenth drop and initiated a turn. During this maneuver, the tail rotor struck an electrical cable. The impact caused the three tail rotor blades to break, with debris scattering across a 200-meter radius. Upon realizing the loss of tail rotor control, the pilot reduced collective pitch and pitched the nose down to gain airspeed and attempt an autorotation. During the descent, the aircraft entered a spin, completing two full rotations around its vertical axis. During one of these rotations, the tail rotor assembly detached from the airframe.
The aircraft struck the ground with a lateral impact. During the crash, the main rotor blades struck trees, breaking into several pieces, some of which struck the fuselage and tail cone. Although a small fire started due to sparks from the severed electrical cable, the pilot successfully shut off the fuel and battery before exiting the wreckage. The pilot sustained no serious injuries, though they later required medical leave for back pain.
The investigation
The investigation established that the aircraft was operating in a high-intensity environment, performing repeated water drops to combat an active fire. The investigation focused on the visibility conditions and the sequence of mechanical failures following the initial contact with the power line. It was confirmed that the impact with the cable resulted in the immediate destruction of the tail rotor blades and the subsequent loss of directional control, leading to the uncontrolled descent and spin.