What happened
On February 24, 2001, at approximately 15:58 UTC, an Agusta A119 helicopter was engaged in a rescue mission near the Velilleckbahn mountain station in the Ischgl ski area. The aircraft, operated by an air taxi company, was transporting a flight rescuer and an emergency physician to the mountain station following a call from the Idalpe slope rescue service.
At the time of the approach, weather conditions included light snowfall, diffuse light, and near-calm winds. Because the landing area appeared unsuitable due to loose fresh snow and a lack of visual references, the flight rescuer instructed a ground marshal to move closer to the mountain station to provide guidance. The pilot performed a left turn to reposition the aircraft and entered a hover to await the marshal's signals.
During this low-altitude hover, the rotor downwash suddenly disturbed a significant amount of fresh snow, creating a whiteout condition. This sudden loss of visibility and situational awareness prevented the pilot from maintaining control. In an attempt to maneuver out of the whiteout with a right-hand turn, the main rotor struck a ridge southwest of the intended landing site. The helicopter struck the sloping terrain on its skids and overturned toward the valley.
The investigation
The investigation was conducted by the Austrian Federal Safety Investigation Board (SUB) to determine the cause of the accident. The reconstruction of the flight path was based on findings from the Landeck district gendarmerary and investigators. The investigation focused on the sequence of events leading from the initial rescue call to the impact, specifically examining the environmental conditions and the impact of the rotor downwash on visibility.