Flight History
On 6 March 2001, at 14:45 UTC (15:45 local time), an Agusta A109E helicopter, registration I-CLRM, was conducting a takeoff from a helipad in the Malagrotta area of Rome, Italy. After a vertical ascent to approximately one meter, the pilot applied forward cyclic and collective to initiate forward flight. The helicopter did not respond promptly, and the Master Warning light and an audible 'Rotor Low' alarm indicated insufficient power. The helicopter began to lose altitude. The pilot attempted to turn left to return to the helipad, but the aircraft impacted terrain with a slope of about 45 degrees a few meters from the pad. The uneven ground caused the helicopter to roll over. The engines were shut down and electrical systems isolated. All occupants evacuated the aircraft without assistance.
Injuries
The two passengers on board sustained minor injuries. The pilot reported no injuries. No fatalities occurred.
Damage
The helicopter sustained substantial damage. No third-party damage was reported.
Personnel
The pilot, a 54-year-old Italian male, held a valid commercial helicopter pilot license with ratings for AB47, AB206, and A109 types. His total flight experience was 6,054 hours and 10 minutes, including 741 hours and 15 minutes on the Agusta A109E. In the previous 90 days he had logged 10 hours and 10 minutes on type, with 10 minutes in the last 24 hours. Two technicians were aboard as passengers, one specialized in airframe maintenance and the other in avionics.
Aircraft Information
The accident aircraft was an Agusta A109E Power, serial number not specified, built in 1999. It was a twin-engine helicopter with a maximum takeoff weight of 2,850 kg and an empty weight of 1,883 kg. The rotor diameter was 11.00 meters.
Investigation Findings
The investigation determined that the accident was caused by a loss of power from engine number 1. The loss of power during the takeoff phase led to insufficient rotor RPM and lift, resulting in the aircraft descending and impacting the sloped terrain, causing the rollover.