What happened
On 11 May 2021, an Airbus AS350 B2 helicopter, registered C-GHEX, was performing utility work near Les Escoumins, Quebec. Operated by Héli-Express Inc., the aircraft was transporting personnel and equipment to a 315 kV transmission line site. During the flight, the helicopter was carrying a platform suspended from its belly-mounted cargo hook.
Shortly after departing from the staging area, the pilot heard a loud noise. In response, the pilot released the external load. Immediately following the release, the aircraft experienced a significant yaw to the left. The pilot attempted to execute a 180-degree turn to reach a nearby dirt landing strip for an emergency landing. However, the pilot struggled to maintain control of the aircraft's leftward yawing motion. As control became impossible, the pilot shut down the engine, resulting in a hard landing on rugged terrain. The aircraft remained upright and did not catch fire, though it suffered substantial damage.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of events following the loud noise and the subsequent loss of directional control. The pilot sustained severe injuries but managed to exit the wreckage and contact a site manager. Emergency protocols were activated when the emergency locator transmitter signal was received by the Canadian Mission Control Centre in Trenton, Ontario. Medical assistance arrived via another helicopter operating at the same site, and the pilot was later transported to a hospital in Chicoutimi.
Findings
- The pilot experienced extreme difficulty controlling the aircraft's yaw during the emergency approach.
- The aircraft was carrying an external load via a cargo hook at the time of the incident.