What happened
On March 26, 2002, an Eurocopter AS350 Ecureuil, registered F-WVKI, was performing a demonstration flight at the Turboméca factory in Tarnos, France. The flight was part of an internal event celebrating a milestone in engine production. Following several successful scheduled flights, the pilot was requested by a company executive to perform an additional, unplanned demonstration flight for a group of five passengers.
During this final flight, the pilot executed a series of maneuvers, including 360-degree turns and steep descents. While performing a sequence of rapid left-hand turns with a high nose-down attitude at a low altitude, the aircraft entered a state of aerodynamic instability. The helicopter lost control, and the main rotor blades struck the gable of an unoccupied industrial building, causing the aircraft to crash onto the roof. The accident resulted in one fatality (the pilot) and four serious injuries among the passengers.
The investigation
The BEA investigation focused on the aerodynamic conditions during the maneuver and the organizational context of the flight. Investigators examined the aircraft's maintenance records, noting it was a pre-series airframe operating under a provisional permit. The investigation also reviewed the flight's lack of formal documentation, as no prior flight orders or passenger manifests had been established for this specific extra flight.
Technical analysis of the wreckage and witness accounts allowed investigators to reconstruct the flight path. The investigation also looked into the regulatory ambiguity regarding passenger transport under the existing airworthiness permit at the time of the accident.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was a loss of directional control (yaw) due to a vortex phenomenon during aggressive, low-altitude maneuvers.
- The pilot's attempt to recover from the vortex by increasing airspeed and pitch was hindered by the extremely low altitude and proximity to the building.
- The lack of formal flight planning and the unplanned nature of the additional flight contributed to the accident, as the flight was performed without a formal flight order or pre-established mission profile.