What happened
On Tuesday, October 28, 2003, at 15:35, an Eurocopter AS 350 B2 registered F-OGUZ was performing an approach to the Grand-Carbet helisurface in Maripasoula for a sling-load operation. The pilot was positioning the aircraft for a mission between Grand-Carette and Dorlin. During the approach, approximately 1,600 meters from the landing site and 150 meters above the ground, a large vulture with a wingspan of roughly 1.5 meters struck the front left plexiglass bubble. The impact hit a passenger located in the rear cabin, causing the individual to be ejected from the aircraft. During the incident, the left lateral door was also torn from the airframe.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the mechanical state of the cabin door and the positioning of the passenger. The left lateral door of the Eurocopter AS 350 B2 is a removable component held by a ball joint guided by a sliding pad in a lower rail. Investigators found that the left lower pad had partially dislodged from its rail. This displacement allowed the ball joint to release, freeing the door from its forward attachments. The investigation determined that the rear attachment failed as the door swung outward into the slipstream. Evidence suggested the door had been closed but was not properly locked into place.
Findings
Several contributing factors led to the one fatality:
- A bird strike involving a large vulture caused a sudden physical disturbance within the cabin.
- The passenger was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the impact.
- The left lateral door was not properly locked, leaving the sliding pad vulnerable to displacement.
- The sliding pad was pushed out of its rail by an internal force, likely caused by the weight of the passenger shifting during the event.