Incident Overview
On Sunday, October 20, 2002, at 13:24 UTC, a Robinson R44 helicopter with registration F-GXAT crashed in the commune of Pralognan la Vanoise, France. The aircraft was operated by Rectimo Air Transports and carried one pilot and two passengers. All three individuals on board were killed in the accident, and the helicopter was destroyed.
Flight Sequence and Circumstances
The flight originated from Chambéry aerodrome at 11:06 UTC, heading to the Chalet du Roc de la Pêche, located at an altitude of 1,900 meters. After a stopover of approximately one hour and thirty minutes, the helicopter departed for its return journey to Chambéry. Witnesses reported that the pilot established a hover before accelerating while remaining at low altitude. Shortly after flying over a precipice, observers heard abnormal engine noises and observed the rotor slowing down. The aircraft then descended and impacted the ground on a rocky spur near the chalet.
Investigation Findings
The Bureau d’Enquêtes et d’Analyses (BEA) examined the wreckage and found that the main rotor blades were deformed, indicating low rotor speed at impact. However, the engine transmission showed signs of torsion consistent with power delivery, and the engine itself tested correctly on a test bench. The investigation noted that the helicopter was operating at high altitude with a total mass of approximately 1,023 kg. Performance calculations indicated that the maximum allowable mass for out-of-ground-effect hover under those conditions was roughly 940 kg. This suggests the aircraft may have been overloaded for the specific flight phase, leading to insufficient power during transition from hover to forward flight.