History of the Flight
On 5 September 2014, two pilots, who were also friends, planned a flight to observe a car rally. They met at Kortrijk-Wevelgem airfield (EBKT) and took off at 16:45 UTC. The helicopter flew at low altitude over the race track before landing in Roeselare at 17:10 UTC. The pilots visited the exposition hall where rally participants were gathering. Around 18:00 UTC, they returned to the helicopter and took off from a nearby open field. Witnesses saw the helicopter fly over the exposition hall when the rotor/engine sound frequency suddenly decreased. The helicopter then fell vertically onto a car parking lot and caught fire.
Injuries and Damage
Both occupants sustained fatal injuries. The helicopter was totally destroyed by the impact and subsequent fire. The parking lot fence and ground were slightly damaged, and several cars were damaged by the fire's proximity.
Personnel Information
The pilot, a 42-year-old Belgian male, held a FAA Private Pilot certificate (helicopter) issued in 2010 and a third-class medical certificate. He was the beneficial owner of the helicopter. The passenger, a 45-year-old Belgian male, was a student pilot since January 2014 and was reportedly near completion of his qualification. Further details on the pilot's experience were unavailable as his logbook was destroyed.
Aircraft Information
The aircraft was a Robinson R-44 Raven I, serial number 1294, built in 2003. It was equipped with a Lycoming O-540-F1B5 engine. The helicopter had accumulated 1651.2 flight hours as of July 2014. Maintenance records showed that annual inspections were performed by an FAA-certified A&P mechanic, while routine maintenance between inspections was carried out by an EASA Part-145 organization.
Cause of the Accident
The accident was caused by an engine stoppage at low height and low airspeed. This occurred because one of the crew members mistakenly pulled the mixture control knob to the cut-off position while attempting to pull the carburetor heat control knob. The post-impact fire was caused by the rupture of the fuel tanks, leading to fuel leaking onto hot engine parts or damaged electrical components.
Additional Factors
The investigation noted several contributing factors: non-compliance with the minimum required altitude when flying above a crowded area, time pressure, the fact that the fuel bladder tanks were not installed, and that the guard around the mixture control could be removed despite being effective when installed as per the Pilot's Operating Handbook.