Incident Overview
On February 5, 2025, an AugustaWestland AW109SP helicopter with registration I-CPFL impacted the ground shortly after taking off from a private helipad (CLA2) located in Castelguelfo, Noceto, Parma. The takeoff occurred at 17:45 UTC. The aircraft was completely destroyed in the crash, resulting in the deaths of all three occupants on board: two pilots and one passenger.
Flight Context and Aircraft Details
The helicopter was operating the final leg of a frequently repeated route connecting Arcole, Faenza, Sala Baganza, Noceto, and back to Arcole. The aircraft, serial number 22335, had approximately 1,815 total flight hours and was powered by two Pratt & Whitney PW207C engines with a maximum takeoff mass of 3,175 kg.
Wreckage and Site Analysis
The final position of the wreckage was located at coordinates 44°49'35.6" N - 010°11'27.1" E, approximately 190 meters from the takeoff pad. The first point of contact with the ground was identified on the line connecting the pad and the final wreckage position. A groove in the wet ground, measuring about 1.6 meters in length and up to 75 cm in depth, indicated that the nose wheel made initial contact. The nose wheel was found within this depression. The main body of the aircraft came to rest approximately 25 meters from the initial impact point.
Examination of the wreckage revealed significant damage to the front section. The tail boom was broken and inverted, lying laterally to the right of the fuselage. The main rotor blades remained attached to the hub, though fragments were scattered over a wide area. One main rotor actuator was found broken, and two vibration dampers were damaged. The landing gear was extended. No signs of fire or fuel leakage were observed, allowing for the collection of fuel samples.
Flight Data and Weather Conditions
Preliminary data extracted from Integrated Display Units (IDUs) showed that recording began at 17:48:33 UTC and ended at 17:51:00 UTC. The aircraft maintained a near-level roll angle. Pitch remained constant at 2.2 degrees until 17:50:45 UTC, then increased to approximately 6 degrees before decreasing sharply to a maximum negative value of -38 degrees, ending at -32 degrees. Heading was maintained between 291 and 286 degrees. Groundspeed was near zero until 17:50:53 UTC, after which it increased progressively to about 88 knots by the end of the recording.
Weather reports from Parma (LIMP) indicated fog with horizontal visibility of 100 meters and no significant cloud cover at the time of the incident. Sunset had occurred earlier at 16:33 UTC.