What happened
On May 28, 2001, an SA 341 Gazelle, registration I-OLLY, was performing utility flight operations in the mountains near Condove, Italy. The aircraft was engaged in transporting personnel and materials for the construction of an electrical substation intended for the 2006 Winter Olympics.
During a takeoff from a landing site near a tool depot, the helicopter was in a hover at an altitude of approximately 15 to 20 meters. As the pilot began to transition from a hover toward the valley, one of the main rotor blades detached from the rotor head. This separation caused an immediate severe imbalance in the main rotor system, which subsequently caused the entire rotor assembly and transmission unit to detach from the fuselage. The aircraft plummeted to the ground and caught fire upon impact.
The accident resulted in two fatalities and two serious injuries. While the specialist technician was able to assist one passenger in exiting the wreckage before the fire became impassable, the pilot and the second passenger were unable to escape the intense flames.