What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 17 Jan 2005 involved an aircraft, at nahe Thalheim, DE.

Police Helicopter Accident Near Thalheim, Germany

On January 17, 2005, an aircraft was involved in an aviation accident near nahe Thalheim, DE. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The accident was attributed to the following causes: immediate causes - the pilot's experience and qualifications were not sufficiently considered when assigning the mission order, and the helicopter entered an uncontrolled flight attitude due to control… This summary draws on records from the German Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation (BFU).

Sourcesthe German Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation (BFU)Primary reportUpdated 1786876113Data API Editorial standards

On 17 January 2005, a PZL-Swidnik W-3A police helicopter crashed near Thalheim during a search mission. Two people were fatally injured and three seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

Accident Overview

On 17 January 2005, a PZL-Swidnik W-3A helicopter operated by the Saxony Police Helicopter Squadron crashed near Thalheim, Germany. The helicopter was on a police operation to search for a missing person. The accident resulted in two occupants sustaining fatal injuries and three sustaining serious injuries. The aircraft was destroyed, and forest damage occurred.

Flight Sequence

The helicopter departed Dresden Airport at 10:17 local time. At 10:47, it landed west of Thalheim to pick up a local police officer to assist with the search. After a briefing, the helicopter departed at 11:08, climbed to approximately 2,000 feet MSL, and began searching east of Thalheim. The flight path, recorded by radar, initially headed southeast over a forested area. Cockpit voice recorder data indicated that the camera operator had activated the thermal imaging camera, and the flight technician had also displayed the thermal image on his monitor. The flight technician suggested a search pattern, and the crew agreed to align the camera with the aircraft's longitudinal axis and scan a narrow strip with a large camera tilt. After overflying the forest, the helicopter turned and subsequently entered an uncontrolled flight attitude, striking a forested slope.

Injuries and Damage

The accident resulted in two people being fatally injured and three being seriously injured. The helicopter was completely destroyed, and the impact caused damage to the forest.

Reported Causes

The investigation identified multiple causes. Immediate causes included that the pilot's experience and qualifications were not sufficiently considered when assigning the mission order, and that the helicopter entered an uncontrolled flight attitude due to control errors at low altitude. Systemic causes included that within the police helicopter squadron, the requirements for pilots on the accident aircraft type regarding flight experience under supervision in operational missions were inadequate, and that aviation regulatory provisions for the operation of police helicopter squadrons were insufficient.

Probable cause

The accident was attributed to the following causes: immediate causes - the pilot's experience and qualifications were not sufficiently considered when assigning the mission order, and the helicopter entered an uncontrolled flight attitude due to control errors at low altitude; systemic causes - inadequate requirements for pilot experience under supervision in the police helicopter squadron and insufficient aviation regulatory provisions for police helicopter operations.