What happened
On September 23, 2000, at approximately 11:15 local time, a Robinson R-44 helicopter, registration EC-GGI, was performing an aerial photography mission near the Benageber reservoir. The flight, which included a pilot, a filmmaker, and a camera operator, departed from the La Nucia ultralight airfield in Alicante for the purpose of filming the area.
The aircraft was attempting to land on a football field in the municipality of Villar del Arzobispo to pick up a passenger. After performing two reconnaissance passes to check for obstacles, the pilot initiated an approach into the wind at approximately 50–60 knots. While descending through an altitude of 15 to 30 feet, the aircraft experienced a sudden loss of control and plummeted toward the ground.
The helicopter struck the terrain with high vertical velocity, causing the skids to impact the ground before the aircraft bounced back into the air. During this sequence, the aircraft overturned onto its right side, resulting in the destruction of the Robinson R-44.
The investigation
The investigation examined the wreckage, the engine, and the flight parameters. The engine was inspected by an authorized maintenance center, which found no evidence of mechanical failure prior to the accident. The aircraft's weight at the time of the accident was approximately 950 kg, well below the maximum authorized takeoff weight of 1090 kg. Meteorological conditions were reported as good, with calm winds and clear visibility.
Investigators found that the collective pitch lever was in the maximum pitch position at the time of the crash. Analysis of the impact marks showed that the right skid sustained the primary impact, which likely led to the subsequent rollover and the breakage of one main rotor blade.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was a defective landing maneuver.
- The pilot increased the collective pitch without sufficient cyclic input to manage the resulting aerodynamic drag.
- This action caused the engine RPM to decrease, leading to a loss of lift and the subsequent descent.
- The pilot failed to use the cyclic control to reduce vertical speed and stabilize the aircraft's attitude prior to the final touchdown.