Incident Overview
On August 2, 2008, at approximately 18:30 local time, a Robinson R44 II helicopter with registration HB-ZGL was involved in an accident near Ruggisbärg, in the municipality of Wittenbach, St. Gallen, Switzerland. The aircraft was operated by Valair AG, based in Sitterdorf. The flight was a commercial Visual Flight Rules (VFR) operation intended to transport a wedding couple from the Restaurant "Wirtschaft Ruggisbärg" to the guesthouse "Zum Gupf" at Rehetobel.
Operational Context and Pilot Background
The pilot, a Swiss national born in 1969, held a Commercial Pilot Licence (Helicopter) issued by the Federal Office of Civil Aviation (BAZL). At the time of the accident, he had accumulated 1,178 total flight hours, including 635 hours on the Robinson R44 type. The pilot reported that he considered the mission straightforward based on previous familiarity with the area and did not perform a specific pre-flight preparation for this particular leg, relying instead on standard performance calculations.
Accident Sequence
Upon approaching the landing site at the restaurant's front garden, the pilot noted the location was unfamiliar and circled to identify a suitable spot. He selected the garden due to the disciplined behavior of the waiting group, despite tight clearances. During the final approach, while hovering in slow forward flight at approximately 5 meters altitude, the main rotor blades struck an apple tree located to the right of the aircraft. The pilot touched down with slight forward speed and shut down the engine on the spot.
Damage and Investigation Findings
The collision caused scratches, dents, and a crack on both main rotor blades. Debris from the tree was found scattered near the landing site. The investigation concluded that the accident was caused by the collision of the main rotor blades with a tree due to a poor assessment of the landing area. Insufficient flight preparation contributed to the event. No injuries were reported among the occupants.