What happened
On November 21, 2021, at approximately 15:53 UTC, a Bell 429WLG helicopter was performing a passenger flight from San Genesio, Italy, to Wr. Neustadt/Ost, Austria. The flight had previously included a stop at a landing site near the Semmering region to drop off a passenger.
As the helicopter approached the airfield Wr. Neustadt/Ost, the pilot was operating under Visual Flight Rules (VFR). However, during the final approach on taxiway INDIA, the aircraft encountered dense fog. The helicopter collided with the ground during this period of low visibility. There were no fatalities reported in the accident.
The investigation
The Austrian Federal Safety Investigation Board (SUB) reconstructed the flight sequence using eyewitness accounts, air traffic control radar data, and the aircraft's onboard data module (ADMM). The investigation examined the pilot's flight preparations, the meteorological conditions at the time of the accident, and the aircraft's technical status. Investigators also reviewed the pilot's decision-making process regarding the deteriorating weather conditions and the transition from visual to instrument meteorological conditions.