Accident Overview
On 7 January 2020, at 10:53 UTC (11:53 local time), a Eurocopter AS350 B3 helicopter, registered I-AMVV, was involved in an accident during a heliski operation. The helicopter had departed from Colle del Piccolo S. Bernardo in the Italian Alps with a pilot, a ski instructor acting as a task specialist, and three skiers. After landing on Monte Miravidi, the skiers exited the aircraft. As the helicopter began its takeoff, the ski instructor remained attached to the utility basket, was lifted into the air, and fell to the ground on the French side of the mountain, dying on impact.
Sequence of Events
The flight departed from Colle del Piccolo S. Bernardo. The helicopter transported the group to Monte Miravidi, where the three skiers and the instructor disembarked. According to the report, during the subsequent takeoff, the ski instructor remained attached to the utility basket. The helicopter climbed, and the instructor fell shortly after takeoff. The fall occurred on French territory.
Aircraft Information
The aircraft was an AS350 B3, a single-engine helicopter commonly used for utility and passenger transport. Its registration mark was I-AMVV. No further details regarding its maintenance or flight history were available in the preliminary report.
Injuries and Damage
The ski instructor sustained fatal injuries upon impact with the ground. The condition of the pilot and the other skiers, as well as the extent of damage to the helicopter, were not detailed in the initial findings.
Investigation
The Italian National Flight Safety Agency (ANSV) was notified of the accident on the same day. Because the skier fell on French soil, the accident is considered to have occurred in France, and the investigation was conducted by the French Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety (BEA).