Synopsis
On 23 September 2000 at 11:15 local time, a Robinson R-44 helicopter, registration EC-GGI, was destroyed during a landing at a football field in Villar del Arzobispo, Valencia, Spain. The aircraft was conducting an aerial photography flight that had departed from La Nucia ultralight field at approximately 10:10 local time. The crew consisted of a pilot, a film director, and a camera operator.
Aircraft and Crew
The helicopter was a 1995 Robinson R-44 powered by a Lycoming O-540-F1B5 engine. It held a valid airworthiness certificate and was maintained according to an approved program. The pilot, age 34, held a commercial helicopter license issued on 9 June 2000 and valid until 21 December 2000. He had 330 total flight hours, including 28 hours on type.
Accident Sequence
The flight intended to film areas around the Benageber reservoir and Villar del Arzobispo at about 500 feet above ground. The pilot decided to land on the town's football field to pick up a person, for which he had authorization. He overflew the field twice to assess obstacles and chose an approach into the wind at 50–60 knots. After clearing trees and lampposts on the west side of the field, he began a descent. At about 15–30 feet altitude, while reducing speed on a stabilized approach, the helicopter suddenly lost power and descended despite the pilot raising the collective. The aircraft impacted with the skids, then the lower fuselage, and began spinning violently.
Investigation Findings
Witnesses reported the helicopter hit the ground with high vertical speed, bounced, touched down again about 20 meters away, rolled over, and came to rest on its right side. Examination revealed the collective pitch control was at maximum position. The engine was inspected and showed no pre-impact failure. Weight at the time was 950 kg, below the maximum takeoff weight of 1090 kg. Weather was good with calm wind and temperature around 16–17°C. The landing site was a recently watered football field with no nearby power lines.
Analysis and Conclusions
The investigation determined that the aircraft struck the ground with significant vertical velocity, bounced, and during the second impact rolled onto its right side due to a broken right skid from the first impact. No evidence of mechanical failure or external factors was found. The analysis indicated the landing maneuver was defective: the pilot's collective pitch input increased blade angle, raising aerodynamic drag, and likely caused rotor RPM to decay, reducing lift and leading to impact. The investigation noted that in such an approach, cyclic input should have preceded collective input to reduce vertical speed and correct attitude before touchdown.