ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 87485
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| Date: | Monday 10 January 2011 |
| Time: | 08:55 UTC |
| Type: |  Eurocopter AS 350B2 Ecureuil |
| Owner/operator: | Heliportugal |
| Registration: | CS-HFP |
| MSN: | 4033 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Feijo Bridge -
 Portugal
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | SU |
| Departure airport: | Cascais municipal airport (LPCS) |
| Cascais municipal airport (LPCS) | |
| Investigating agency: | GPIAAF |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
On January 10, 2011, a helicopter from Heliportugal took off from Cascais municipal airport (LPCS) around 08:00 UTC, taking aboard the pilot and a TV station camera operator, with the intent of flying over the Lisbon area main roads to cover and live broadcast the road traffic.
The aircraft was flying at low altitude, a few meters west of highway A-2, close by the 2º Feijó bridge heading northeast, when suddenly the helicopter started an uncommanded left yaw, not being possible to cease the spin with the right pedal application by the pilot.
Immediately the pilot initiated the autorotation procedure to regain control, lowering the collective and increasing forward speed, preparing for an emergency landing on an unobstructed field. Before landing the pilot commanded the emergency fuel cut-off to the engine.
The first contact with the ground occurred with the tail skid during the flare, with an elevated forward speed and sink rate, the impact fractured the tail boom on the horizontal stabilizer section, than the helicopter continued flying forward for 50 meters until landing and striking a fence with the main rotor blades and finally resting on its right side.
PROBABLE CAUSE:
The most likely cause has been determined as loss of control in flight due to tail rotor loss of aerodynamic effectiveness, followed by loss of control during an autorotation touchdown due to tail ground strike.
Contributing factors:
The flight characteristics commonly associated with TV news coverage flights, of low speed turns or hover at altitude, contributed to the possible loss of tail rotor aerodynamic effectiveness.
The pilot failure to recognize a loss of tail rotor effectiveness situation, assuming a mechanical failure and proceeding to a full autorotation with touchdown.
The late flare at touchdown during autorotation landing that led to a tail ground strike and aircraft loss of control.
Sources:
1. https://www.publico.pt/Local/queda-de-helicoptero-faz-dois-feridos-ligeiros_1474405
2. https://ionline.sapo.pt/artigos/97693-dois-feridos-em-aterragem-emergencia-helicoptero-transito-da-tvi_
3. http://www.tvi24.iol.pt/sociedade/helicoptero/1224598-4071.html
4. http://airbushelicoptersinc.com/images/safety/Potential_18_07_2011.pdf
5. https://www.flightglobal.com/2011/11/ascend-accident-alerts.html
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 10-Jan-2011 21:27 | Black Typhoon | Added |
| 08-Aug-2014 17:46 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Location, Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 03-Sep-2018 12:06 | TB | Updated [Location, Embed code] |
| 03-Sep-2018 12:06 | TB | Updated [Narrative] |
| 16-Jan-2019 18:10 | harro | Updated [Time, Departure airport, Destination airport, Narrative, Photo, Accident report, ] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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