Accident à Bordeaux

[onetrack]

The major fear is in the poor aviation skills of a lot of Robinson pilots.

Here is the rough English translation of the accident report;

ACCIDENT REPORT:

Collision with the surface of the water at a low height flight

Aircraft: Robinson R44 Helicopter aircraft registered F-GPJG
Date and time: December 20, 2013, approx 1700hrs.
Operator: Private
Location: Lugon-et-l'Île-du-Carney
Type of Flight: General Aviation flight
Persons on board: Pilot and three passengers
Consequences and damage: Pilot and passengers all deceased (4 fatalities), helicopter destroyed

(1) Except where stated otherwise, the times listed in this report are expressed in local time.

1 - CONDUCT OF FLIGHT:

After a lunch celebrating the sale of his property, the pilot decided to perform a pleasure flight with the buyer and two other people.
The pilot took the position at the right front of the helicopter and the purchaser at the front left.
The other two passengers occupied the rear seats.
The pilot took off from the helipad on the property.
Radar recordings show the aircraft first flying East, and then beginning a wide right turn to West Libourne, which brings the aircraft along an alignment path with the Dordogne (River).
The pilot flies over the river to Western Cape and the (radar) trace is lost.
At the point where the radar detection is interrupted, several witnesses on the ground saw the helicopter down near the water and flying at low level for a while.
The helicopter is recovered the same night, at the bottom of the river about 2000M from the last point of radar detection.

2 - ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

2.1 Information on the site and wreckage:

The wreckage was found at the bottom of the Dordogne (River).
The body of the person in the right rear seat, was still attached to the seat. The bodies of the three other occupants were found several days after the accident, in the river.
The comprehensive review of the cell and the engine, did not reveal any mechanical abnormality prior to the collision.
Evidence shows that the helicopter struck the water surface first with the tail boom.
The vertical velocity was low, but the horizontal travel speed was an important factor.
The first shock caused a rupture of the beam near the tail rotor.
The helicopter then tipped forward causing significant damage to the cell.
The engine was operating at the time of collision with the water.
It was not possible to accurately determine the power generated at the time of impact.
Examination of lights on the instrument panel, showed that the indicator "governor off", was on at the time of impact.
The status of the LED indicators, "engine fire" and "oil pressure", does not lead to the conclusion that they were in operation before impact. All other lights were off.
Examination of motor parameter indicators did not determine their values ​​at the time of impact. The dashboard clock showed 17:44 hrs.

2.2 Summary of testimonies:

Witnesses who attended the lunch and take-off indicated that the pilot consumed wine during the meal without it being possible to assess the amount.
However, (witnesses stated) he seemed able to perform the flight.
Many people who flew with the pilot indicate that he frequently walked the same path, to that taken on the day of the accident.
They add that he used to fly up to the tops of the poplars above the river.
Four ground witnesses have described a flying helicopter heading west, stabilized ten to fifteen feet above the water.
Two witnesses saw the helicopter descending on a high slope before this period of stabilized flight.
None of them saw the collision of the helicopter with the surface of the water.

2.3 Meteorological Information:

Weather conditions estimated on the site were:
Wind, North 2kts (low)
Meteorological visibility greater than 10 km, with a few cumulus clouds at 3500 ft
Temperature 11 ° C.
At the time of the accident the azimuth of the sun was 230° and (angle above the horizon) at the site of the accident 2°.

2.4 License and experience of the pilot:

The pilot held a PPL (H) obtained in 1998. He had (acquired) 640 helicopter flight hours, mostly on the type. He also held a PPL (A) and a glider pilot license.

2.5 Further Information:

From fuelling data contained in the log book, and the flight hours recorded, the hourly average fuel consumption could be assessed between 53 and 55 l/h for flights of the four previous months.
Assuming the tank was filled at the last refuelling as indicated in the log book, there remained in the helicopter at least 39 liters of fuel before the flight.
The helicopter had flown for about ten minutes (during this flight) therefore the hypothesis of lack of fuel cannot be accepted.
This is confirmed by (the fact that) the Low Fuel Level LED indicator was off at impact.
The control system of the engine speed (governor) detects changes in engine and applies a correction to the power control scheme where the plan is different from its nominal value.
Operation is controlled by the pilot when starting with a switch at the end of the collective pitch control. Piloting with the governor in the off position is possible.
It is not possible to know if the driver has activated the controller after commencing the flight, but it is quite possible that this button has been activated involuntarily after the first impact, which explains the "governor off" light on.

3 - LESSONS AND CONCLUSION:

The accident was probably due to the decision to initiate and continue a flight, at a very low height above the water.
Several factors have contributed to this event:
The difficulty of assessing a height above a body of water;
The inconvenience caused by the sun's position against the pilot, and (being) low on the horizon;
The mood of the day that (might) have prompted the pilot to improvise developments.