What happened
On August 8, 2004, a Robinson R44 helicopter, registration F-GIVY, departed from the private Douzalbats airfield for a local flight. After an initial flight, the pilot invited two passengers for a short circular flight toward the village of Ladignac.
As the aircraft approached the village at a low altitude—estimated by witnesses to be only a few dozen meters—the pilot performed a maneuver involving toggling the landing lights to greet onlookers. While executing a right-hand turn toward the west, the pilot experienced a sudden yaw to the right. Despite attempts to use the pedals to correct the rotation, the pilot was unable to regain directional control and subsequently lowered the collective. The aircraft entered a descending spiral, striking an electrical power line. The impact slowed the helicopter's descent before it hit the ground, where the aircraft rolled onto its left side and caught fire.
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage and the tail rotor drive shaft, determining that the shaft was still rotating at the moment of ground impact. While fire damage prevented a full examination of the tail rotor pitch control, the investigation focused on the aerodynamic and environmental conditions during the maneuver.
Technical analysis revealed that the power required to maintain lift out of ground effect and to counteract the rightward yaw was greater than the engine's available performance allowed under the specific flight conditions. The investigation looked into the aircraft's weight, the ambient temperature, the pressure altitude, and the wind components present during the turn.