What happened
On October 15, 2009, at approximately 2:55 p.m. local time, a Eurocopter EC-120B helicopter, registration N871SA, crashed into a mountainside in the Central Cordillera near Las Caobas, Ocoa, Dominican Republic. The aircraft, operated by Helitech S.A., was performing a private flight. The flight had departed from Dr. Joaquín Balaguer International Airport, stopped to pick up two passengers at a hotel in Santo Domingo, and was en route to San José de Orcoa. Shortly before the impact, the pilot had contacted Santo Domingo Control, stating that Ocoa was in sight and that he would call again upon departure from the destination. No further communications were received.
The impact with the terrain caused the total destruction of the aircraft. All three occupants—the pilot and two passengers—sustained fatal injuries and died at the scene.
The investigation
The CIAA investigation examined the aircraft's maintenance history, the pilot's credentials, and the prevailing meteorological conditions. The engine, a Turbomeca Arrius 2F, was sent to the manufacturer in the United States for analysis; testing confirmed the engine was operating properly prior to the collision. The aircraft's maintenance logs showed it had undergone a 500-hour inspection in late 2008 and was considered airworthy.
Investigators also reviewed the pilot's qualifications, noting he held a valid commercial helicopter license but lacked an instrument rating. Meteorological data from ONAMET and the FAA confirmed that the area was experiencing heavy rain showers and thunderstorms, with cumulonimbus clouds and moderate to severe turbulence present in the region.
Findings
- The pilot was operating under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) despite the presence of heavy rain and thunderstorms.
- The weather conditions had deteriorated into Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC), making VFR flight impossible according to regulatory requirements.
- The pilot failed to maintain the Minimum Safe Altitude (MSA) for the sector, which required an altitude of 5,300 feet.
- The pilot flew into terrain while attempting to maintain visual flight in weather conditions that necessitated instrument flight procedures.