Accident Aérospatiale AS 350B2 Ecureuil EC-MVV,
ASN logo
ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 237690
 
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information. If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.

Date:Monday 6 July 2020
Time:12:00 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic AS50 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Aérospatiale AS 350B2 Ecureuil
Owner/operator:Helitrans Pyrinees
Registration: EC-MVV
MSN: 2456
Fatalities:Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Category:Accident
Location:La Vansa i Fórnols, near Sant Marc -   Spain
Phase: En route
Nature:External load operation
Departure airport:Andorra-La Seu d'Urgell Airport (LEU/LESU)
Destination airport:Andorra-La Seu d'Urgell Airport (LEU/LESU)
Investigating agency: CIAIAC
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
The Aérospatiale AS 350B2 Ecureuil, with registration EC-MVV, departed from La Seu d'Urgell Airport together with another similar aircraft, both belonging to the same operator, to carry out construction work on a high voltage power line in the municipality of La Vansa i Fórnols (Lleida).
The pilot flew alone but was assisted on the ground by a company operative, who had travelled to the site where they were going to work in a van.
The works consisted of placing concrete piles on a base for the subsequent installation of pylons for a high voltage power line. The operative on the ground helped to hook the piles to the helicopter line and informed the pilot when he could start the transfer for its placement. A worker from an electrical company assisted with the placement of the piles.
During the course of his work, the operator incurred a minor injury to his hand with the hook that held the concrete piles and informed the pilot that he had injured himself.
The pilot decided to take him back to the helicopter’s departure airport for medical assistance. He descended towards a nearby road and, without landing on the asphalt, picked him up and flew directly towards the aerodrome on a heading of 290º. During the flight, the helicopter crashed into a steep hillside and subsequently caught fire. There were indications
that the engine may have been affected by a loss of power.

Causes/contributing factors
The investigation has concluded that the accident occurred due to the impossibility of preparing and executing an autorotation manoeuvre after suffering a sudden loss of engine power due to the low altitude a witch the helicopter was flying.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: CIAIAC
Report number: A-021/2020
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 1 year and 2 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

https://www.eldiario.es/catalunya/fallecen-accidente-helicoptero-trabajadores-mantenimiento-linea-electrica-pirineo_1_6084892.html
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.lavanguardia.com/sucesos/20200706/482152544010/helicoptero-estrella-la-seu-urgell.html%3ffacet=amp
https://www.mitma.gob.es/organos-colegiados/ciaiac/investigacion/2020

https://cdn.jetphotos.com/full/6/51587_1568553313.jpg (photo)


Location

Media:

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
06-Jul-2020 12:54 gerard57 Added
06-Jul-2020 15:06 cear2002 Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Operator, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source]
06-Jul-2020 15:07 harro Updated [Aircraft type, Cn]
06-Jul-2020 15:25 RobertMB Updated [Source, Narrative]
06-Jul-2020 18:23 Iceman 29 Updated [Time, Embed code]
06-Jul-2020 18:26 Iceman 29 Updated [Embed code]
06-Sep-2020 15:54 Aerossurance Updated [Nature, Embed code]
06-Sep-2020 16:05 Aerossurance Updated [Nature, Narrative]
03-Mar-2021 21:34 rudy Updated [[Nature, Narrative]]
25-Sep-2021 18:47 harro Updated [Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Narrative, Accident report]

Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description

The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:

CONNECT WITH US: FSF on social media FSF Facebook FSF Twitter FSF Youtube FSF LinkedIn FSF Instagram

©2024 Flight Safety Foundation

1920 Ballenger Av, 4th Fl.
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
www.FlightSafety.org