What happened
On 22 November 2003, a Gazelle Mk 3, registration G-CBZL, was conducting a private flight near Mouswald, southeast of Dumfries, Scotland. Prior to the incident, the pilot had flown to Carlisle to refuel before proceeding toward a private landing site. The weather conditions were favorable, characterized by light, variable winds and few clouds at 4,000 feet.
As the pilot was unfamiliar with the specific landing site, he performed a 360-degree survey of the area. During this reconnaissance, he identified a line of electricity poles running parallel to a major road. The pilot planned an approach from a south-easterly direction, positioned to the right of the identified cables. Although the low winter sun had reduced visibility, the pilot maintained visual contact with his intended landing spot.
As the aircraft transitioned into a hover, the pilot suddenly encountered cables directly in his flight path. Despite immediate attempts to apply collective and rearward cyclic control, the aircraft struck the wires. The impact of the main rotor caused the tail section of G-CBZL to detach, and the helicopter subsequently made a hard impact with the ground. The incident resulted in major damage to the aircraft and damage to electrical cabling.
The investigation
Investigators determined that the cables involved were part of a single-span spur serving a nearby engineering workshop. While the pilot had observed the poles during his initial survey, the specific cables were located to the left of his intended approach path. The investigation established that the cables were struck during the final stage of the approach as the pilot moved into the hover position.