ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 308094
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| Date: | Thursday 19 March 1998 |
| Time: | 17:40 |
| Type: |  Bell UH-1H |
| Owner/operator: | Helieuropa SA |
| Registration: | EC-GDJ |
| MSN: | 5320 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1967 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Melias, 10km NE of Orense -
 Spain
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Fire fighting |
| Departure airport: | |
| Investigating agency: | CIAIAC |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The pilot had been notified to leave with the helicopter from the Xurés base to assist in extinguishing a forest fire in Melias, T.M. of Pereira de Aguilar, about 10 km northeast of Orense. They took off to the area with the assigned brigade and the forestry technician. Once in the place, some orbits were made to determine the point where to leave the brigade and to evaluate the best way to make the passes and water discharges.
With the "bambi bucket" installed and the brigade on the ground, the water was loaded into the Miño river reservoir near the fire, to continue with the discharge on the fire, verifying that the chosen traffic was adequate.
After unloading No. 22 and upon returning to the loading site, according to the pilot's testimony, the helicopter began to descend rapidly without being able to stop the rate of descent despite the application of all available power. The flight at that moment was at an altitude of 100 feet and a speed of 25 Kts. The pilot was able to verify that the rotor rpm was correct, that the "master caution" light was not on and that the engine had not stalled.
In view of the situation, the pilot attempted an emergency landing on the terrain into which the helicopter was falling, a vineyard with a large number of stakes, wires and stone columns, and proceeded to release the "bambi bucket". When the helicopter came to a stop, he performed an emergency engine shutdown.
Conclusions.
The helicopter suffered an abrupt descent, just after passing over a high voltage line, which the pilot could not avoid, but controlled the descent for an emergency landing, until about 2 meters from the ground he lost the tail rotor by impact with a granite pillar, being then without directional control; the helicopter began to turn on itself to the right (main rotor turns to the left) and when landing on uneven terrain it flipped over on the left side.
Sources:
https://www.mitma.gob.es/recursos_mfom/1998_boletin_1.pdf
Revision history:
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