What happened
On February 18, 2011, a Robinson R44 Raven helicopter, registration F-GUJB, was conducting a VFR repositioning flight from an auxiliary landing site in Bari to Foggia Airport. Approximately 30 nautical miles into the flight, the aircraft encountered severe weather conditions, including thunderstorms and significantly reduced visibility. During the flight, the pilot contacted Amendola Approach to inquire about the cloud base; shortly thereafter, the pilot reported being inside a cloud with zero visibility. The helicopter subsequently impacted the ground within an olive grove in the Canne della Battaglie area. The impact resulted in the fatalities of the pilot and the total destruction of the aircraft.
The investigation
ANSV investigators examined the wreckage and the crash site shortly after the occurrence. Analysis of the debris field and ground impact patterns indicated that the aircraft struck the terrain in a nearly vertical trajectory. The impact occurred in an open space between four olive trees, with no evidence of the aircraft striking the surrounding branches or trunks. Investigators found fragments of the tail boom, including a section of the rear drive shaft and the entire tail rotor, separated from the fuselage approximately 80 meters from the main wreckage. These components showed evidence of interference with the main rotor blades. Furthermore, radar data analysis revealed that the aircraft was performing continuous and abrupt changes in altitude and heading immediately prior to the impact.
Findings
- The aircraft encountered meteorological conditions characterized by rain, cumulonimbus clouds, and a low cloud base.
- The flight path involved sudden and erratic maneuvers in altitude and direction just before the crash.
- The pilot encountered severe weather and loss of visual reference while operating under VFR conditions.