What happened
On September 4, 2010, a Schweizer 269 C helicopter, registration F-GREC, departed from a private helipad in Fournols, France, carrying the pilot and two passengers. The aircraft initially achieved a vertical ascent to approximately 8 meters before the pilot began a transition into forward flight. During this maneuver, the pilot experienced a perceived loss of power, causing the aircraft to sink into a nearby field located below the takeoff site. The pilot was unable to prevent the helicopter from sliding into a rock, which caused the aircraft to capsize. The helicopter sustained heavy damage.
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage and determined that both the engine and the main rotor were delivering power at the moment of the final impact. The weather conditions at the time of the accident were favorable, with CAVOK conditions, calm winds, visibility exceeding 10 km, and a temperature of 22 °C.
At the time of takeoff, the aircraft's weight was 1,900 lbs. According to the flight manual, the maximum allowable weight for a takeoff out of ground effect (OGE) under the prevailing conditions was 1,950 lbs. The investigation established that the pilot had not consulted the performance charts and was unaware of the extremely narrow power margin available. The pilot, who held both PPL(H) and PPL(A) licenses, had approximately 100 total hours on this aircraft type, with only 5 hours logged in the preceding three months.
Findings
- The pilot initiated a takeoff in conditions very close to the aircraft's performance limits.
- The transition to forward flight caused the aircraft to sink, and the pilot likely attempted to compensate by increasing the collective pitch.
- The engine was unable to provide the required surplus power, leading to a drop in main rotor RPM and a subsequent descent.
- The pilot's failure to consult the performance curves contributed to the lack of awareness regarding the limited power margin.