What happened
On March 22, 1997, at approximately 17:40, a McDonnell Douglas Hughes 369D helicopter, registration F-GRRJ, was conducting a private flight near Saint-Etienne-les-Orgues. About one hour into the flight, the pilot decided to interrupt the mission to consult navigational charts. During this process, the pilot performed a hard landing in a field, which involved two distinct bounces. After maintaining reduced power for several dozen seconds, the pilot attempted to take off again.
During the subsequent takeoff attempt, the tail boom separated from the aircraft. This structural failure caused the helicopter to become uncontrollable in yaw. The aircraft left the ground and subsequently rolled onto its side, resulting in heavy damage to the airframe. Weather conditions at the time were reported as calm with excellent visibility.
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage and the circumstances surrounding the landing prior to the accident. The investigation noted that the landing gear (skid) was found deformed. Furthermore, a witness reported observing that the tail boom appeared to be already bent prior to the final takeoff attempt. The investigation focused on the structural integrity of the tail boom following the initial hard landing.