What happened
On August 1, 2019, at approximately 16:15 local time, a Bell 407 helicopter, registration LQ-ZPR, was conducting a non-commercial transit flight within the Chaco Province of Argentina. The aircraft was traveling from Tres Isletas toward General San Martín Airport in Resistencia. During the flight, the aircraft encountered a bird strike that impacted the left side of the windshield. Due to the nature of the impact, the pilot initiated a precautionary emergency landing.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the flight path near Las Garcitas and the impact event. The aircraft was operating under Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC) at the time of the incident. All 5 occupants on board were accounted for, and no injuries were reported following the landing. The damage to the aircraft was classified as minor.
Findings
- The primary cause of the emergency landing was a collision with a bird on the left side of the cockpit windshield.
- The flight was being conducted as a non-commercial operation by the Dirección Provincial de Aeronáutica Chaco.