Cabri G2 Helicopter Crash During Training Flight in Germany

Incident Overview and Aircraft Details On March 6, 2024, a Hélicoptères Guimbal Cabri G2 helicopter was involved in an accident near Groß-Rohrheim, Germany. The two-seat helicopter, manufactured in 2016 with serial number 1 148, was operated by an approved air transport company and flight school. The aircraft was powered by a Lycoming O-360-J2A piston engine and featured a Fenestron tail rotor system. At the time of the incident, the helicopter had approximately 2,797 total operating hours and a takeoff mass of about 650 kg. ## Flight Sequence and Accident Description The flight began at 12:40 local time from Egelsbach airfield, involving a 41-year-old flight instructor and a 21-year-old student pilot. The objective was to practice emergency procedures, specifically autorotations, as part of a continuous commercial pilot license course. The flight proceeded south toward a designated training area near Groß-Rohrheim. During the first practice autorotation, the student initiated the flare too early and high, prompting the instructor to abort the exercise using engine power. A second attempt was initiated at approximately 1,000 feet above ground level. The student stabilized the autorotation descent, and both the student and instructor performed a flare. As the instructor attempted to arrest the descent with engine power, the helicopter made an unplanned hard ground contact at approximately 13:00 local time. ## Damage and Investigation Findings The helicopter came to rest on its skid landing gear, tilted to the right. The main rotor penetrated and broke the tail boom approximately one meter behind its attachment to the fuselage. The tail boom, including the tailplane, fin, and Fenestron, was found scattered north of the wreckage. The rear cross-traverse of the skid gear was broken, and the tail skid was bent and detached from the lower Fenestron fin. No fire occurred, and no pre-existing mechanical defects or malfunctions were identified in the control system, rotor system, or drivetrain. ## Environmental and Operational Context Weather conditions at the time were favorable, with visibility exceeding 10 km and scattered to broken clouds. The training area consisted of agricultural land between Klein-Rohrheim, Groß-Rohrheim, and Langwaden. The helicopter was not equipped with a flight data recorder or cockpit voice recorder, as these were not mandatory. ADS-B data was available to track the flight path. The investigation was concluded with a factual presentation of the events, without further analysis or conclusions.