What happened
On 3/30/2013, a Bell 206 helicopter, registration PK-DAL, was performing a spot charter flight for PT. Derazona Air Service. The mission was scheduled to transport hospital staff from the Efarina Etaham Hospital heliport in Berastagi to the Simalungun area.
During the departure at approximately 10:30 WIB, the aircraft began its takeoff roll. Witnesses observed the helicopter completing three to four rotations before attempting to move forward toward the destination. Only seconds after liftoff, the aircraft struck a 7-meter-tall electrical pole located just in front of the hospital yard. The impact caused the helicopter to crash onto a nearby sidewalk. The collision resulted in one fatality—the engineer on board—and left the remaining four occupants with serious injuries.
The investigation
The investigation into the wreckage revealed that the helicopter was destroyed upon impact. While the engine remained running for several seconds after the crash, the force of the deceleration caused the antenna of the Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) to detach, preventing a distress signal from being transmitted.
Investigators also noted that the hospital heliport used for the departure had not been inspected or certified by the relevant authorities under current Indonesian Civil Aviation Safety Regulations. Furthermore, there was no record of a flight plan being submitted for this specific flight, and the crew had failed to report their arrival at the destination following a previous flight that day.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the collision with an electrical pole immediately following takeoff.
- The engineer on board died due to head injuries sustained when the cockpit roof assembly was breached and pushed inward by the rotating main rotor blades.
- The lack of a transmitted distress signal was due to the physical separation of the ELT antenna during the high-magnitude impact.
- The hospital heliport lacked formal certification or regulatory inspection.
Safety action
Following the accident, PT. Derazona Air Service issued safety notices to improve hazard identification and ensure pilots perform dummy approaches at confined landing sites. Additionally, AirNav Indonesia, Medan Office, issued a circular requiring all aircraft operators to report aircraft landings or arrivals at their destinations as soon as possible.