2012 Fairchild Hiller FH 1100 accident at Soest / Bad Sassendorf

Overview and Identification of the Event On 15 January 2012, a Fairchild Hiller FH 1100 helicopter was involved in an accident at Sonderlandeplatz Soest / Bad Sassendorf. The German Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation (BFU) closed the investigation summarily under § 18 FlUUG, presenting only the facts. The aircraft was heavily damaged, while the pilot was not injured and no third-party damage was reported. ## Aircraft and Pilot Details The aircraft was a five-seat Fairchild Hiller FH 1100 helicopter, manufactured between 1963 and 1973. The specific aircraft involved was built in 1970 with serial number 202. It was equipped with an Allison 250-C18 turbine engine, a two-blade main rotor, and a tail rotor mounted on the vertical fin. The helicopter had a maximum takeoff weight of 2,750 lbs and was certified for operation in the United States. The pilot was a 48-year-old male holding a German private pilot license for helicopters, valid until 19 April 2016, with type rating for the FH 1100. He had a Class 2 medical certificate valid until 27 June 2013. His total flight experience was approximately 240 hours, with about 170 hours on the FH 1100 type. In the preceding 90 days, he had completed 12 landings. ## Flight and Accident Sequence According to the pilot, at approximately 13:20 local time during the landing approach, the tail boom and tail rotor made ground contact while flaring. The tail rotor was damaged, causing the helicopter to rotate around its vertical axis. The aircraft then made a hard landing on the grass, and the main rotor blades contacted the ground. The helicopter was heavily damaged, and the pilot exited the aircraft uninjured. He reported no technical defects or control problems. ## Meteorological and Operational Conditions Weather data from Dortmund Airport (EDLW), located approximately 22 nautical miles away, indicated visibility of 9,000 m, wind from 030 degrees at 5 kt, few clouds at 800 ft, temperature of 2 °C, dew point of 0 °C, and QNH of 1,026 hPa. No radio communications were recorded, and the helicopter was not equipped with a flight data recorder or cockpit voice recorder, as these were not required. ## Airport and Accident Site Sonderlandeplatz Soest / Bad Sassendorf (EDLZ) has an 820 m grass runway oriented 07/25. The accident occurred on the runway, with the helicopter resting on its fuselage floor facing approximately 250 degrees. The left skid was broken, the rotor mast was tilted backward, control rods to the rotor head were torn off, and the main rotor was bent and torn. One tail rotor blade was partially torn off, and the other was deformed. A fire started above the engine in the exhaust area but extinguished itself.