What happened
On Friday, July 18, 2003, at 11:45, a Bell 47 G2 helicopter, registration F-GDXJ, was performing agricultural spraying over a vineyard in Champillon. The terrain in the area featured a slope of approximately 5 to 6%. A medium-voltage electrical line, standing six meters high, crossed the edge of the plantation.
The pilot's operational pattern involved flying beneath the power lines to treat the initial rows of vines, ascending the slope at an altitude of about one meter above the plants. During the return leg, the pilot would fly over the lines, perform a turn, and reposition beneath the wires for subsequent passes. During the sixth pass, while the pilot was pitching the aircraft nose-down, the rear portion of the main rotor disk struck the lowest part of the electrical line. This impact caused the pilot to lose control of the aircraft, resulting in a right yaw and two rotations before the helicopter struck the ground. The aircraft was destroyed.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the flight sequence and the physical evidence at the crash site. Investigators noted traces of electrical arcing on the leading edge of one main rotor blade, confirming contact with the power lines. The pilot, an experienced aviator with over 12,000 hours on type, provided details regarding the flight pattern and the aircraft's handling characteristics. The investigation also considered the aircraft's center of gravity, as the pilot noted that the F-GDXJ was configured with a forward center of gravity, which differed from other aircraft in the fleet and may have influenced control inputs.