What happened
On Saturday, August 25, 2012, a Robinson R44 helicopter, registration F-GTEJ, was conducting a private flight near Brison-Saint-Innocent, France. After approximately 45 minutes of flight originating from Chindrieux, the pilot decided to land on a private field situated near a road, residential area, hills, and electrical power lines.
To prepare for the landing, the pilot performed a 360-degree reconnaissance turn centered on the intended touchdown point before initiating a southward approach. During the short final phase of the approach, the aircraft struck electrical cables. The impact caused a large flame to appear at the rear of the helicopter. In a reflexive response, the pilot applied collective pitch to attempt an emergency landing, but the aircraft subsequently lost control and collided with the ground. The impact resulted in heavy damage to the helicopter.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the pilot's ability to identify obstacles and the environmental conditions during the approach. The pilot stated that the power lines were not detected during the initial reconnaissance of the landing site. Furthermore, the pilot noted that sunlight interfered with visibility during the final approach phase.
Meteorological data indicated a wind from 010° at 9 knots, with few clouds at 5,300 feet. At the time of the accident, the sun's azimuth was 132°, while the landing site was positioned at 45°. The investigation also noted that the aircraft had been previously equipped with self-sealing flexible fuel tanks following a prior accident involving the same registration. During this specific impact, one of these tanks was punctured, but no fuel leakage occurred.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the failure to detect the electrical power lines during both the landing site reconnaissance and the final approach.
- The decision to perform the approach facing the sun likely contributed to the pilot's inability to see the obstacles.