What happened
On the date of the incident, a Let L-410 was performing a short positioning flight from Freetown-Lungi International Airport toward Freetown-Hastings Airport. Shortly after takeoff, as the aircraft was in its initial climb phase, it entered a cloud layer at an altitude of approximately 500 feet.
Upon emerging from the clouds, the crew of the Let L-410 observed a Mil Mi-8 helicopter operating in the immediate vicinity. The helicopter was conducting a local mission on behalf of the United Nations Organization (UNO). In an attempt to avoid a collision, the crew of the fixed-wing aircraft executed an evasive maneuver; however, the rotor blades of the helicopter made contact with the base of the aircraft's tail section.
Following the impact, the crew of the Let L-410 successfully navigated the aircraft back to the airfield to perform an emergency landing. During the landing sequence, the aircraft's undercarriage experienced a partial failure. While the two pilots on board the fixed-wing aircraft escaped the incident without injury, the aircraft sustained damage that rendered it a total loss. The crew of the Mil Mi-8 helicopter was able to complete their flight and land safely.
Findings
- The collision occurred due to mid-air contact between the helicopter rotor and the aircraft tail while both aircraft were operating in low-visibility conditions near 500 feet.