What happened
On January 17, 2005, a police helicopter was conducting an urgent search mission for a missing person near Thalheim, Germany. The crew, which included the pilot, a flight technician, a thermal imaging operator, and an additional police officer, had departed from Dresden Airport to locate the individual. During the search, the crew utilized thermal imaging equipment to scan the forest edge.
As the aircraft performed a turn to reposition for a new search pattern, the flight entered an uncontrolled state at a low altitude. Flight data recorders indicate that during the maneuver, the pilot attempted to reduce airspeed, which led to a significant increase in pedal input. This resulted in the aircraft entering a rapid rotation around its vertical axis. The helicopter subsequently struck a wooded slope, causing the destruction of the PZL-Swidnik W-3A and resulting in two fatalities and three serious injuries.