Incident Overview
On 16 September 2023, at 14:54 UTC, a Guimbal Cabri G2 helicopter registered TC-HFC was involved in a serious incident during a landing approach near an hotel in Afyonkarahisar, Turkey. The helicopter, owned by Necati Can, had departed from Sivrihisar Havacilik Merkezi at 13:30 UTC with one pilot and one passenger. The flight was conducted under visual flight rules as a sport aviation operation. No injuries occurred, but the helicopter sustained heavy damage.
Flight Sequence
After a reconnaissance flight to assess the landing area and wind conditions, the pilot initiated the landing. During the final approach, a sudden turbulence caused a loss of control. Despite corrective control inputs, the helicopter lacked sufficient altitude and airspeed to recover. The aircraft descended at low speed, and its tail rotor became entangled in trees near the hotel, after which the helicopter fell to the ground.
Aircraft and Occupant Information
The helicopter was a Guimbal Cabri G2, serial number 1083, manufactured in 2014. Its maximum takeoff weight was 700 kg, and it had accumulated 78 flight hours at the time of the incident. The engine was a Lycoming O-360-J2A. The most recent maintenance, a 50-hour inspection, was completed on 5–6 September 2023; the investigation group assessed that maintenance was not a factor.
The pilot, born in 1973, held a private pilot license (PPL(H)) issued on 11 January 2022, valid until 31 May 2024. Total flight experience was 116.40 hours. The pilot's medical certificate, issued 11 September 2023, was first class with a VDL restriction (requiring corrective lenses and spare glasses).
Environmental Conditions
Meteorological data from an automated station 7.6 km away indicated that at the time of the incident, wind was from easterly directions at an average speed of 6–8 knots, with gusts up to 7–9 knots. Satellite imagery showed no cloud cover or precipitation. The investigation group considered meteorology to be a contributing factor to the incident.
Damage
Post-incident inspection revealed damage to the main rotor blades, tail section, cockpit, fuselage, and landing skids. The damage was classified as heavy according to relevant regulations. No damage to third-party property was reported.
Probable Cause
The official probable cause was not provided in the available report sections.