What happened
On August 20, 2004, an EC120 helicopter, registration PR-HBR, departed from Jacarepaguá, Rio de Janeiro, en route to Cabo Frio. The flight was planned as a Visual Flight Rules (VFR) operation, intended to follow a coastal corridor at 500 feet.
During the flight, the pilot encountered intense fog. In an attempt to maintain visual references with the ground, the pilot began descending the aircraft. As the weather deteriorated, the pilot performed a 180-degree turn to return, but visibility became so restricted that the aircraft was effectively operating under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) conditions, for which the pilot was not qualified.
While attempting to monitor altitude via GPS and using the sea surface as the only remaining visual reference, the aircraft' and speed decreased significantly. The tail rotor eventually struck the water, leading to an emergency landing on the sea. The aircraft subsequently submerged, though the pilot escaped the wreckage uninjured.
The investigation
CENIPA's investigation established that the pilot had consulted meteorological information prior to departure, including a call to the AIS office, which had warned of intense fog in the area. However, the pilot relied on previous experience with similar routes to assume that conditions over the ocean would remain favorable for VFR flight.
The investigation examined the pilot's decision-making process, the meteorological conditions at the time of the accident, and the operational procedures of the operator, Helibarra Táxi-Aéreo Ltda. The analysis focused on why the pilot continued the flight despite known weather degradation and the subsequent loss of situational awareness during the low-altitude maneuvering.