Synopsis
On 15 December 2014, an AgustaWestland AW109SP helicopter, registration A6-FLP, operated by Falcon Aviation Services, was involved in an accident at Emirates Palace Heliport (EKP) in Abu Dhabi. The aircraft was conducting a VIP flight with two pilots and an unspecified number of passengers. During a hover taxi, the helicopter lost control and made a heavy landing, resulting in damage to the landing gear, tail rotor, and supporting structure. Two persons sustained minor injuries, unconfirmed.
History of the Flight
The flight was scheduled to depart from EKP at 18:30 local time with VIP passengers bound for destinations in Dubai. Prior to departure, the aircraft had been flown a short distance from an adjacent secured heliport to EKP. The crew, consisting of two pilots, had received flight schedules from Falcon Aviation Services flight operations department, indicating six passengers to board at EKP. However, according to crew statements, no load sheet was available for the passenger weights or total number of passengers who actually boarded. Loading was conducted by VIP security personnel without crew supervision, as per standard procedures for VIP operations. The aircraft departed EKP at 18:32:38 local time.
Accident Sequence
After becoming airborne, the helicopter hover taxied forward at approximately eight to ten feet above ground level with a forward airspeed of about ten knots. It moved over descending, sloping ground adjacent to the helipad at a slow speed. The aircraft then descended vertically, briefly pitched nose up, and contacted the flat ground adjacent to the heliport. Following initial contact, the helicopter pitched forward, yawed approximately 20 degrees to the right, and came to a stop with engines still running and the lower fuselage in contact with the ground.
Injuries
According to the preliminary report, two persons received minor injuries; this information was unconfirmed at the time of the report.
Damage to Aircraft
The heavy landing resulted in damage to the forward and aft landing gear, the tail rotor, the tail rotor boom, and internal damage to the tail rotor torque tube and surrounding structure. The aircraft was rendered unserviceable.
Additional Information
The aircraft was equipped with two Pratt and Whitney Canada PW207C engines. The maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) for the AW109SP is 3175 kg. For the short transit flight between the secured heliport and EKP, the total all-up weight was 2910 kg. The heliport lacked a Heliport Landing Officer. The accident has been classified by ICAO ADREP as a Loss of Control Inflight (LOC-I) with a secondary classification of Abnormal Runway Contact (ARC). A final report is expected within twelve months.