2022 EC 120 B accident near Cassina Rizzardi heliport (PH-OMM)

Incident Overview and Aircraft Details On 27 February 2022, at approximately 14:50 UTC (15:50 local time), an Eurocopter (now Airbus Helicopters) EC 120 B helicopter, registration PH-OMM, was involved in an accident during the landing phase of a recreational flight. The incident occurred on the A9 motorway connector, near the Cassina Rizzardi heliport in Fino Mornasco, province of Como, Italy. The aircraft was operated by OMEM s.r.l. and was destroyed in the crash. The EC 120 B is a light, single-turbine helicopter powered by an Arrius 2F engine. It features a three-blade semi-rigid main rotor and a Fenestron anti-torque system. The aircraft has a maximum takeoff mass of 1730 kg and is equipped with a Vehicle and Engine Multifunction Display (VEMD) for recording engine parameters, but it does not have flight recorders. ## Flight Sequence and Personnel The flight that ended in the accident was the second of the day. The first flight had departed in the morning from the Cassina Rizzardi heliport with the intention of reaching the Castel Caladan airfield. As the destination could not be located, the pilot landed at the nearby Punto Volo Torlino airfield, where the occupants remained for approximately two hours before commencing the second flight. The aircraft was carrying two people: the pilot and one passenger. The pilot was a 78-year-old Italian national holding a valid Private Pilot Licence (Helicopter) and a valid type rating for the EC 120 B. He reported approximately 1,000 hours of total flight experience, including about 750 hours on rotorcraft and 150 hours on the EC 120 B type. The pilot sustained serious injuries, while the passenger sustained minor injuries. ## Weather and Site Conditions Meteorological data from Milan Malpensa (LIMC), located approximately 29 km from the accident site, indicated good visibility and calm wind conditions around the time of the incident. The METAR reports for the period showed CAVOK (Ceiling And Visibility OK) conditions with no significant weather phenomena. The helicopter was found resting on its right side in the center of the two road lanes, approximately 60 meters from the southern pad of the Cassina Rizzardi heliport. The impact zone was situated below the level of the motorway and the heliport, which was located about 5 meters higher after a steep section of terrain. The main rotor was destroyed, the tail was detached, and the landing gear was partially torn away. The cabin remained largely intact, with the nose pointing approximately southeast. ## Wreckage Examination and Testimony Examination of the wreckage revealed that the main rotor blades were broken due to rotational damage. The tail rotor blades showed signs of scraping interference with the Fenestron structure. The tail rotor and its transmission shaft were free to rotate, and the engine and transmission showed no external signs of damage. The last stage of the turbine was undamaged and free to rotate. The flight control lines were continuous and free in their kinematic chains, with no apparent abnormal play. None of the fracture surfaces appeared to be related to a progressive phenomenon, but only to the stresses acting at impact. A witness who was walking near the heliport reported seeing the helicopter coming from the direction of Fino Mornasco. The witness observed the aircraft at a maximum height of 25 meters, with its nose pointing southeast, descending in a right banked attitude before disappearing from view, followed by a cloud of debris. The witness did not observe any interference between the helicopter and the heliport fence. The pilot stated that during the approach to the heliport, when the horizontal distance from the pad was about 15 to 20 meters, after crossing the motorway, he began to slow down and set a slight descent of about 20 to 30 meters toward the pad. The pilot described the approach as very slow with a very reduced descent angle, controlling the helicopter's nose to counteract the engine's torque.