Summary
On 26 July 2007 at 08:54 local time, a MD Helicopter Inc. MDD 500N helicopter, registration HB-XYP, collided with two power cables during a film flight over the Rhine near Eglisau, Switzerland. The helicopter was operated by Fuchs Helikopter AG. The accident resulted in a temporary power outage in Eglisau and adjacent areas.
Aircraft and Operator
The helicopter was a MDD 500N, serial number LN052, registered in Switzerland as HB-XYP. The owner and operator was Robert Fuchs AG, trading as Fuchs Helikopter AG, based in Schindellegi.
Accident Description
The helicopter was equipped with a special camera for filming. The flight was conducted under visual flight rules as part of a television project to produce aerial footage of the Swiss landscape. The crew consisted of the pilot, a cameraman, and a producer/director. After a briefing on the morning of the accident, the flight departed from the helicopter base at approximately 05:30. The planned route led via Pfäffikersee, Kemptthal, Nürensdorf, the lower Tösstal, Tössegg, and Diessenhofen towards Lake Constance.
While flying downstream over the Rhine, immediately before the railway bridge south of Eglisau, the helicopter struck a high-voltage power line spanning the river. Two wires were cut. The pilot was able to land the damaged helicopter in a field on the north bank of the Rhine. The occupants were not injured.
Investigation
The Swiss Accident Investigation Bureau (BFU) opened an investigation on the same day at approximately 11:30, in cooperation with the Cantonal Police of Zürich. The investigation used statements from the pilot and passengers, film footage, and data from navigation equipment and a collision warning device. The accident occurred at 08:54, and the report was received at 09:35.
Cause
The accident was caused by the helicopter colliding with two cables located at 18 m above ground during a flight intended for filming. Contributing factors included the lack of prior reconnaissance and insufficient hazard analysis regarding obstacles.