What happened
On July 6, 2013, a Guimbal Cabri G2, registration F-HBEA, departed from a private helipad in La Valette for a local flight toward Le Bugue. During the return leg of the flight, the pilot heard an abnormal noise in his headset. Seeking to investigate the source of the noise, the pilot decided to perform a precautionary landing in a nearby field.
Prior to the landing, the pilot surveyed the field to assess the terrain, obstacles, and wind direction, concluding that the wind was blowing from the East/North-East. During the final approach, the passenger alerted the pilot that a side door was open. Simultaneously, the pilot experienced a sudden increase in the perceived rate of descent as the aircraft encountered an upward slope in the field. The pilot reacted by gripping the controls, but the aircraft struck the ground with significant force. The impact caused the left skid to break, leading the helicopter to tilt onto its left side.
The investigation
The investigation examined the aircraft's condition, the pilot's actions, and the environmental factors at the site. Investigators found that the engine was providing power at the moment of impact and that the aircraft's weight and balance were within manufacturer limits. The aircraft's mass was approximately 620 kg, which was within the performance limits for the prevailing temperature and altitude.
Analysis of the wreckage revealed that the impact caused a static failure of the front left skid cross-tube, which subsequently pierced the cabin floor on the passenger side. The investigation also noted that while the pilot believed the wind was from the East/North-East, the actual wind at the time was blowing from the rear-right (060° to 090°), creating a tailwind component during the approach.
Findings
Several contributing factors led to the hard landing:
- An insufficient assessment of the wind direction, which resulted in an approach with a tailwind component.
- A failure to detect the upward slope of the landing site during the initial reconnaissance pass.
- A lack of timely power application (collective input) during the reduction of airspeed in the final stages of the approach.
- Distraction caused by the passenger's notification regarding an unsecured side door.