What happened
On 29 November 2022, a privately owned Rotorway-type helicopter was performing a local flight departing from a private property located in the municipality of Lefebvre, Quebec. The aircraft was operated by a single occupant. As the pilot was returning to the initial departure point, the helicopter reached an altitude of approximately 200 feet above the ground. During this phase of flight, the aircraft experienced a structural failure, breaking apart before impacting a ditch situated between two fields. The pilot sustained fatal injuries in the crash.
The investigation
The TSB conducted a Class 4 investigation into the accident. This type of investigation is limited in scope and focuses on the immediate circumstances of the occurrence. The investigation examined the flight path, the aircraft's condition at the time of the breakup, and the impact site in the ditch.