Accident Overview
On 29 October 2025, at approximately 14:04:36 local time, a Mil Mi-171 helicopter, registration OB-2019P, operated by Helicópteros del Sur S.A. (HELISUR), impacted terrain at the cargo hook-up/detachment area of the Malvinas Heliport (SPHM). The heliport is located at the Malvinas Natural Gas Plant camp in the Megantoni District, La Convención Province, Cusco, Peru. The accident occurred while the helicopter was performing an external load pick-up maneuver with a 60-meter long line and a load of 3,750 kg.
Flight Sequence
The helicopter had completed four previous flights on the day of the accident, all originating from Malvinas Heliport. Conditions were reported as calm winds and excellent visibility. At 14:01 local time, the crew departed from Heliport 3 (HP3) for the fifth flight, bound for the external load pick-up area. The flight plan indicated transport of the load to camp KM39C.
At 14:03 local time, the ground crew, consisting of five personnel from the contractor Servicios Especiales Aeroportuarios (SEA) supervised by a load master, began coordinating the hook-up via ground-air radio. The helicopter initially lifted the load approximately 50 centimeters off the ground and then set it back down. Shortly after lifting again for the final hoist, the crew lost directional control. The helicopter entered an uncontrolled rotation and subsequently impacted the terrain.
Crew Information
Three crew members were on board: the pilot-in-command (age 64, seated left), the copilot (age 49, seated right), and the flight mechanic (age 40, seated center). All three died as a result of the accident. The pilot-in-command held 11,033:07 total flight hours, with 8,221:41 hours as pilot-in-command. The copilot had 4,167:40 total hours, including 3,197:16 hours as copilot. The flight mechanic accumulated 2,413:42 total hours.
Preliminary Flight Data
Data from the flight data recorder (FDR) showed normal parameters during pre-takeoff and initial climb. During the hook-up and tensioning phase, rotor RPM remained stable between 95.4% and 96%, with collective pitch increasing gradually to 7-8 degrees. At the start of the lift (14:03:40), rotor RPM dropped to approximately 93% and remained stable, while collective pitch rose to 11.5 degrees. Pedal input increased progressively.
In the final phase of full lift (14:04:20 to 14:04:28), altitude was about 77 meters, rotor RPM briefly rose rapidly to 99.1%, and collective pitch reached 11.6 degrees. The tail rotor control rod (TG rod) measured 277.4 mm at the start of this phase but, beginning at 14:04:24, did not proportionally follow the increasing pedal input. The report notes no indications of power loss or immediate overload. The investigation is ongoing.