Near-Miss at Son Bonet Involving Piper PA-46 and Airbus Helicopters AS-350 (N-86MH)

Incident Overview and Aircraft Details On May 8, 2023, at 12:36 local time, a near-miss occurred at Son Bonet Airport in the Balearic Islands, Spain. The incident involved a Piper PA-46-500TP with registration N-86MH, operating as a private flight, and an Airbus Helicopters AS-350 B3 with registration EC-NKJ, operated by Sky Helicopters for commercial firefighting work. The Piper carried five people, while the helicopter carried six, including a pilot and five firefighting brigade members. Both aircraft were on final approach under Visual Flight Rules (VFR). ## Sequence of Events The Piper PA-46-500TP was on a private flight from Avignon (LFMV) to Son Bonet (LESB). The pilot switched from Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) to VFR at the POS VOR and maintained the Palma de Mallorca frequency until Inca, where he switched to 122.705 MHz. He reported his approach to runway 23 on this frequency. During the final approach, the pilot was observing an aircraft that had landed ahead of him when he suddenly saw the helicopter above and to his right. Due to the proximity of the landing and limited maneuvering space, no evasive action was taken. The helicopter pilot was returning to Son Bonet after conducting firefighting exercises at the Cuber reservoir. He was monitoring both 123.500 MHz and 122.705 MHz. Near Santa María, he reported his position on 123.500 MHz and, receiving no response, switched to 122.705 MHz. He heard two school traffic reports and continued his approach, reporting a long final for runway 23. ## Findings and Probable Cause After landing, the Piper pilot noticed that the 122.705 MHz frequency was no longer correctly selected, meaning the helicopter did not hear his approach call. He attributed the frequency change to thermal turbulence. The investigation determined that the probable cause of the incident was the failure to comply with Visual Flight Rules, specifically the lack of continuous outside observation to identify nearby traffic. A contributing factor was human error in failing to ensure the correct communication frequency was maintained during the approach. ## Safety Recommendations The investigation resulted in three safety recommendations: one directed to the Son Bonet airport manager and two directed to the Spanish State Aviation Safety Agency (AESA). No injuries were reported among the personnel on board either aircraft.