What happened
On October 10, 2011, a Bell Helicopter Textron 206BIII, registration EC-FVS, was engaged in agricultural spraying operations in the Pozo de la Higuera area of Lorca, Murcia. The aircraft had landed at a recently plowed field to load phytosanitary products into its Simplex Modex 4900 spraying system. At the time of the incident, the aircraft's weight and center of gravity were within authorized limits, and meteorological conditions were suitable for visual flight.
During the takeoff phase, the pilot attempted a running takeoff, aiming to gain forward airspeed while maintaining a gentle climb gradient. Shortly after the start of the maneuver, the rotor wash generated a significant cloud of dust that enveloped the helicopter. This sudden loss of external visual references prevented the pilot from maintaining control of the aircraft. In an attempt to recover, the pilot immediately opened the emergency release for the chemical tank to rapidly lighten the load and increased collective pitch to gain altitude. Despite these efforts, the helicopter could not maintain flight and struck the ground, resulting in the aircraft overturning.
The investigation
The CIAIAC investigation examined the flight sequence, the aircraft's maintenance status, and the environmental conditions at the site. The investigation confirmed that the EC-FVS was airworthy, with a valid Certificate of Airworthiness and a recent maintenance inspection completed in August 2011. The pilot, a commercial helicopter pilot with extensive experience in both the aircraft type and agricultural spraying, was uninjured in the accident.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the sudden loss of external visual references caused by a dust cloud generated by the main rotor's airflow.
- The loss of visibility prevented the pilot from maintaining a stable flight path and controlling the aircraft's attitude.
- Although the pilot attempted to mitigate the weight by emergency dumping of the chemical payload and increased power, the loss of control led to the impact and subsequent rollover of the aircraft.
- The aircraft sustained important damage during the impact.