Official information from Hélicoptères Guimbal :
Hello,
we confirm, alas! these very sad news.
However, it was partly exaggerated, as often : the two pilots are uninjured, and were back at work in perfect shape as soon as a few hours after the accident, when we spoke to them. At least some good news !
As far as we have heard from them, and this is definitely unofficial, they were practicing tail rotor failure when they lost the aircraft control, and stroke the ground at some significant speed - backwards.
They very honestly recognise a pilot error. They are very satisfied with the aircraft behaviour. Its fuselage and powerplant seem to be intact.
Both occupants had very low time on the Cabri type.
This aircraft had just, a few days before, joined its operational base in Germany, following a four month intensive evaluation period by all Eurocopter pilots, in France.
We have numerous and only excellent feedback from this operational evaluation, that was recently beeing concluded.
We only can repeat our message, initiated by the program's test pilot : " don't do anything with the Cabri that you wouldn't do with another light helicopter, and you'll enjoy a tremendous improvement in safety".
We all wish that this accident remains a bad baptism of fire. Fly safe!
Bruno Guimbal
Helicopteres Guimbal president