What happened
On August 6, 2018, at approximately 19:17 local time, two helicopters were engaged in firefighting operations near Llutxent, Valencia, to combat an active wildfire. The aircraft involved were a Bell 412, registration EC-MQD, operated by Babcock Mission Critical Services España, S.A.U., and a Bell 212, registration D-HGPP, operated by Rotorsun, S.L.
At the time of the incident, the aircraft were operating in a "carousel" formation to refill water from a nearby dip. The crew of the Bell 212 (D-HGPP) had previously communicated that they were departing the circuit to return to base, leading the remaining aircraft to believe they were the only ones left in the formation. However, the Bell 412 (EC-MQD) returned to the dip using a different approach path, flying at a higher altitude and a different lateral angle than the established circuit.
As the two aircraft converged on the water source, the pilot of a third aircraft flying behind the EC-MQD observed the converging trajectories and issued an immediate radio alert. Upon realizing the proximity of the D-HGPP, the pilot of the EC-MQD performed an abrupt evasive maneuver to the left. There were no injuries and no damage to either aircraft.
The investigation
The CIAIAC investigation reconstructed the flight paths using fleet tracking data, which revealed that the EC-MQD was traveling at a higher speed than the D-HGPP and crossed vertically over the other aircraft shortly before the near-collision. The investigation established that the EC-MQD failed to notify the other aircraft of its re-entry into the circuit or its intention to overtake the traffic.
Furthermore, the investigation examined the crew compositions. While the pilot of the D-HGPP was fully qualified, the investigation found that the crew designation for the EC-MQD did not comply with specific firefighting regulations. The pilot in command of the EC-MQD held a medical limitation (OML) that required a fully qualified second pilot for multi-pilot operations, but the second pilot on board did not meet the necessary experience requirements for firefighting operations.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was the failure to adhere to established radio communication and approach procedures for aircraft operating within the same firefighting carousel.
- The EC-MQD failed to communicate its intention to rejoin the circuit and its plan to overtake the D-HGPP.
- The D-HGPP did not notify the other aircraft of its specific intentions regarding its departure from the circuit.
- The crew of the EC-MQD failed to maintain adequate situational awareness regarding nearby traffic during the approach.
- The crew designation for the EC-MQD was non-compliant with applicable firefighting regulations due to the pilot's medical limitations and the second pilot's lack of required experience.