What happened
On the night of September 10, 2011, a Robinson R44 II helicopter, registration PR-CEC, departed from Santos Dumont Airport (SBRJ) bound for Jacarepaguá Airport (SBJR). The flight was a passenger transport mission involving the pilot and one passenger. After takeoff, the pilot requested to fly over Marina da Glória, likely to allow the passenger, a professional photographer, to capture night images of the city.
Following this overflight, the pilot decided to proceed via the Boa Vista Helicopter Special Route (REH). During the flight, the aircraft deviated to the right of the intended corridor. The tail rotor of the helicopter struck a tree located at the top of an elevation in the Tijuca Forest. This impact caused the aircraft to lose control and crash into a valley approximately 60 meters below the initial impact point. The crash resulted in two fatalities, involving both the pilot and the passenger.
The investigation
The CENIPA investigation focused on the pilot's decision-making and the environmental conditions at the time of the accident. Investigators examined radar data from the Rio de Janeiro Terminal Area Control, which showed the aircraft's trajectory deviating from the prescribed route just before radar contact was lost.
Meteorological analysis revealed that while visibility at the departure and arrival airports was good, the mountainous terrain of the Tijuca Massif was experiencing orographic clouds and fog patches caused by moist sea winds. The investigation also reviewed the regulatory framework regarding night-time VFR (Visual Flight Rules) operations for helicopters in Brazil, specifically looking at the requirements for maintaining ground references.
Findings
- Adverse meteorological conditions: The presence of fog and clouds over the mountain range was a decisive factor that led to the pilot inadvertently entering IMC (Instrument Meteorological Conditions).
- Deficient flight planning: The pilot's decision to deviate from the originally planned route to the Boa Vista REH without accounting for the specific weather conditions in that mountainous region contributed to the loss of visual references.
- Inadvertent IMC entry: It is suspected that the pilot, unable to distinguish clouds from dark terrain due to low luminosity, may have attempted to correct his course, leading to the 90-degree turn that caused the collision.
- Regulatory gaps: The lack of specific requirements in the RBHA 91 regarding mandatory ground references for night-time VFR helicopter operations may have reduced the pilot's situational awareness regarding the risk of entering IMC.