History of the Flight
On 1 October 2011 at 06:06 UTC, a Robinson R44 II helicopter registered OO-T** was involved in an accident at EBCF Cerfontaine Airfield. The pilot had rented the helicopter for a private flight from a private heliport in Roeselare to the Matagne ULM airfield (EBMG). Before arriving at EBMG, the pilot planned to refuel at EBCF.
The helicopter took off from Roeselare at 05:18 UTC and flew directly to EBCF. The pilot contacted EBCF radio shortly before landing and received landing clearance and information, including that the active runway was Runway 12. After entering the circuit around 06:00 UTC, the airfield commander provided further instructions to guide the pilot to the fuel station. The pilot was informed that the fuel pump ground wire was short and was advised to land near the fuel pump installation "as best as possible".
The helicopter flew to the fuel station and hovered one meter above the concrete platform in front of the fuel station. At that moment, the helicopter pitched rearward; the pilot corrected, then the helicopter pitched forward, initiating an oscillating movement. Immediately after, the helicopter moved forward, and the main rotor collided with the metallic structure of the fuel shed. The pilot reacted by lowering the collective, shutting down the propulsion, and pulling the rotor brake handle. Despite these actions, the main rotor continued to strike the roof several times, ejecting debris.
Debris struck the tower building about 40 meters away, piercing a glass door, dust bins, and a concrete wall. Smaller parts hit a parked Cessna Caravan, causing minor paint and exhaust damage. Before the rotor stopped, the entire tail boom separated from the fuselage due to transmitted shocks. The airfield commander, standing about 20 meters away, was hit in the head by a flying object but was not seriously injured. According to the commander, the accident duration from first rotor strike to complete stop was about 30 to 40 seconds.
Injuries and Damage
The pilot was uninjured. The airfield commander sustained minor injuries. The helicopter was severely damaged: main rotor blades destroyed, likely extensive damage to power transmission and flight controls, tail structure separated from fuselage, and structural deformations at various locations. The fuel pump house roof (corrugated iron and steel beams) was significantly damaged, and the concrete refueling area was abraded by skid impacts.
Personnel Information
The pilot was a 26-year-old Belgian male holding a Private Pilot Helicopter license issued on 20 May 2011, with R44 rating. He had a valid Class II medical certificate. His total flight experience was 103 hours and 42 minutes, with 214 landings; he had passed the PPL(H) skill test after 82 flight hours.
Aircraft Information
The Robinson R44 II (serial number 11816, built 2007) was a single-engine light helicopter with a semi-rigid two-bladed main rotor. It had a certificate of airworthiness issued 27 July 2007 and an airworthiness review certificate valid until 10 July 2012. Total airframe time was approximately 200 flight hours.
Additional Details
The accident occurred at EBCF Cerfontaine Airfield. Meteorological conditions were not specified. No flight recorders were installed. The airfield's refueling installation design and user guidance were noted in the investigation.