What happened
On 6 July 2022, an AS350-B2 helicopter, registered F-GJRP, was performing external sling load operations near the Vieille lighthouse in France. The mission, operated by HBG France, involved transporting equipment between lighthouses as part of a maintenance project.
After a midday suspension due to sea mist, the wind intensified, reaching gusts of 20 kt. During the afternoon phase of the mission, the pilot attempted to retrieve a 326 kg load from the terrace of the Vieille lighthouse. To maintain visual references, the pilot positioned the aircraft with a tailwind and crosswind component, flying overhead the lighthouse terrace.
While the pilot was monitoring the cargo via a safety mirror and window, a ground agent attempted to attach the load to the sling. As the helicopter drifted due to the wind, the sling became taut. The agent attempted to unhook the straps but was pinned against a granite parapet by the shifting load. The tension caused the remaining strap to break, resulting in the helicopter tipping forward. The pilot managed to regain control and return to the drop zone, though the aircraft sustained slight damage and the ground agent sustained severe injuries.
The investigation
The BEA investigation examined the coordination between the helicopter crew and the ground staff, the meteorological conditions, and the operator's safety management systems. The investigation established that the ground agents at the lighthouse were working without VHF radio communication with the pilot. Furthermore, the operator's task specialist was unable to reach the lighthouse due to the tides, leaving the pilot to coordinate with ground staff who had not been briefed on specific safety procedures or the pilot's working methods.
Findings
Several factors contributed to the accident, most notably the lack of effective coordination between the helicopter crew and the ground agents during the sling load operation.
Key contributing factors included:
- The decision to continue the mission despite strengthening winds and the absence of direct radio communication with the ground team.
- High pilot workload caused by maintaining an unstable hover in disturbed air while simultaneously attempting to monitor the hook position.
- Insufficient coordination in the mission's prevention plan, which failed to account for the impossibility of the task specialist being present at the lighthouse.
- Potential operational pressure to complete the contract, driven by the recent opening of the operator's local base and the importance of the new contract.
- The ground agent's lack of familiarity with the pilot's specific procedures for attaching loads.