What happened
On May 1, 2021, a Bell Helicopter Textron 206B-3, registration TG-SEN, was performing a flight from Finca El Baluarte toward La Aurora International Airport. During the flight, the aircraft encountered heavy rain and deteriorating visibility. The helicopter struck the ground inside Finca Solola, near the Tiquisate route in the municipality of Rio Bravo, Suchite $\text{pequez}$, Guatemala. The impact was high-velocity, causing the total destruction of the fuselage and all primary systems. The accident resulted in four fatalities and left one passenger with severe injuries. The sole survivor was evacuated by local emergency services to a hospital and later transferred to Guatemala City.
The investigation
The DGAC/UIA investigation confirmed that the aircraft was airworthy, properly equipped, and maintained according to regulations, with its last maintenance performed in December 2020. While the aircraft was within its weight and balance limits, the investigation established that the pilot encountered weather conditions that were outside the legal limits for Visual Flight Rules (VFR) operations. Investigators also noted that the pilot's decision-making was impacted by the sudden loss of visibility and the onset of heavy rain. Additionally, the investigation examined the role of the passenger occupying the co-pilot seat, noting that their attempts to assist the pilot may have interfered with cockpit resource management and situational awareness.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the pilot's failure to properly assess the risks of departing in adverse weather conditions and high wind speeds.
- A critical contributing factor was the loss of situational awareness and spatial disorientation caused by the sudden loss of visibility during heavy rainfall.
- The decision to continue the flight or attempt an alternative landing path was made too late to avoid the impact.
- The presence of a passenger in the co-pilot seat potentially disrupted cockpit coordination and cognitive functions such as attention and orientation.