Accident
On 5 October 2016 at 0855 local time, a SA 315 B Lama helicopter, registration HB-XRD, operated by Heli TV SA, was involved in an accident during takeoff at the locality Stand di Tiro in the municipality of Monteceneri, Switzerland.
Aircraft
The helicopter, a SA 315 B Lama, was registered HB-XRD. It was owned and operated by Heli TV SA, based in Lodrino.
Occupants
The flight crew consisted of one pilot, a Swiss citizen born in 1983, and one flight assistant onboard the helicopter. Additionally, two flight assistants were on the ground. The pilot and the onboard flight assistant were uninjured. One of the two ground assistants sustained serious injuries.
Sequence of Events
The flight was conducted under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) during daytime as an aerial work operation. The intended route was from Monte Ceneri to the Monte Tamaro antenna. During the takeoff maneuver, a flight assistant on the ground became entangled in the external load harness and was injured.
Injuries and Damage
One flight assistant on the ground suffered a serious arm injury as a result of the entanglement. There were no injuries to the pilot or the other flight assistant onboard. No damage occurred to the aircraft, to third parties, or to the ground.