Bell 206 B Helicopter Accident in Muzzano, Biella (I-BSHV)

Incident Overview and Investigation Scope On October 20, 2004, at 17:20 UTC (19:20 local time), a Bell 206 B helicopter, registration I-BSHV, crashed in the locality of Muzzano, frazione Bagneri, in the province of Biella, Italy. The incident was reported to the Italian National Agency for the Safety of Flight (ANSV) on the same day by ENAC, ENAV SpA, and the Carabinieri of Biella. The crash site was secured by local Carabinieri under the direction of the competent judicial authority, which restricted access to authorized personnel only. The ANSV investigator conducted an operational site visit the following day. The technical investigation was carried out in accordance with Annex 13 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago, 1944) and Article 827 of the Italian Navigation Code, with the sole objective of preventing accidents and incidents, excluding any assessment of fault or liability. ## Flight History and Circumstances The helicopter departed at approximately 16:30 UTC from a private pad adjacent to the residence of the aircraft's owner, who was also the pilot and operator, located in Formigliana (BI). The flight was a visual flight rules (VFR) tour, under which the pilot is solely responsible for maintaining separation from terrain and obstacles. The pilot was the sole occupant. Dense fog was present in the area. After approximately 50 minutes of flight, two eyewitnesses observed the helicopter flying very low near the treetops of the forest surrounding Muzzano. The aircraft then crashed into the forest and caught fire. The pilot died in the impact. The body was recovered by the Carabinieri, who arrived promptly along with fire brigade teams that extinguished the fire. ## Damage and Casualties The helicopter was destroyed by the impact with the ground and the subsequent fire. No third-party damage was reported. The only other damage was to the dense forest vegetation at the crash site, where broken branches and fire damage were found. ## Personnel Information The pilot in command was a 58-year-old Italian male. He held a valid private helicopter pilot license with type ratings for the Bell 206 and 206L and Italian language radio proficiency. His medical examination was conducted on September 3, 2004, and was valid at the time of the accident. His total flight time was 2,652 hours and 20 minutes, with 44 hours and 30 minutes in the preceding six months. His type rating on the Bell 206/206L was obtained on September 3, 2003, and was regularly confirmed following a successfully passed flight test. His total flight time on the Bell 206 type was 92 hours and 10 minutes. ## Aircraft Information The aircraft was a Bell 206, model 206 B, with construction number 1452, built in 1972, and registered as I-BSHV. The certificate of registration was issued in 1981. The certificate of airworthiness, number 10618/a, was valid, and the airworthiness specification, number 10618/b, covered the Normal/Tourism categories. The operator was a natural person (the owner). The airframe and engine had each accumulated 3,634.36 flight hours. The last periodic inspection of the airframe and engine was performed on September 3, 2004, with a positive result, and approximately 34 flight hours had been logged since that inspection. No prior incidents had been reported. The aircraft's maximum takeoff weight was 1,452 kg, fuel capacity was 288 liters, and it was powered by an Allison 250-C20 engine rated at 407 hp. Its maximum speed was 130 knots, cruising speed was 100 knots, and service ceiling was 4,500 meters. Dimensions were 9 meters in length, 10 meters in width, and 2 meters in height. ## Meteorological and Operational Conditions At the time of the accident, dense fog was present in the area. Navigation assistance, communications, and airport information were not pertinent to the incident. Flight recorders were not required by regulation for the category and use of the aircraft in question.