What happened
On October 23, 2021, at approximately 11:15 UTC, a Eurocopter BO-105 S helicopter, registration LV-CVE, was involved in a ground accident in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires. The aircraft was performing a medical evacuation mission for the SAME emergency service, having flown from Helipupert Baires Madero to Hospital Francisco Santojanni.
Upon completing its mission, the helicopter landed in front of the Parque Avellaneda toll plaza on the Perito Moreno Highway (AU6). While the aircraft remained stationary on the ground, the main rotor blades were still in motion. During this period, a truck traveling on the highway struck the rotating blades.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of events at the landing site and the interaction between the moving aircraft components and the ground vehicle. The JST established that the accident occurred during the post-landing phase while the engine and rotors were still operational. The incident resulted in significant damage to the aircraft's rotor system.
Findings
- The helicopter was operating in a non-standard landing area (a highway toll plaza area) to facilitate medical transport.
- The primary cause of the damage was the impact between a heavy vehicle and the rotating main rotor blades while the aircraft was still in a state of deceleration.
- There were no injuries reported among the crew or passengers, though one person sustained minor injuries during the event.