New Cabri G2 helicopter crash - 2 persons injured

[BDS29]

A French newspaper reported a crash in the south part of the French alps, more precisely in Luberon.

It's mentioned that 2 people were in the helicopter. It has been reported that the aircraft was slightly spinning, and the 60 years old pilot was experienced and relatively injured while his wife was slightly injured.

Cabri G2 - SN 1170 - F-HRCR
Source: Helis.com

[Hot and Hi]

This little aircraft certainly does a good job in keeping its pax alive

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/687x387/dyqkldiw0aa4ts4_7e87fadfb933dab15ab095e1493be4feff705090.jpg
From the BEA Twitter account

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1200x675/dyqkldhwsae4un__6522c20e210e7a4b28b1919a8ee7e5be0a4d9f21.jpg

[Kulwin Park]

It looks similar to a previous Cabri G2 accident, where the helicopter fuselage has slid off the skid landing gear. Maybe it's just my view, by looking at the pictures.

[Hot and Hi]

It looks similar to a previous Cabri G2 accident, where the helicopter fuselage has slid off the skid landing gear. Maybe it's just my view, by looking at the pictures.
Which accident exactly? Has it been discussed here on PPRUNE? (Can you provide a link to that post?)

Would you see this as a fault, or safety feature?

[Ascend Charlie]

It does look like a single attachment point on each crosstube, wonder why they did that?

[Hot and Hi]

Maybe the OP can request this thread to be merged with the land-standing https://www.pprune.org/showthread.php?t=296022&referrerid=440686 discussion here?

[GS-Alpha]

I think Kulwin Park is referring to this one:

https://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/612961-cabri-crash-john-wayne-airport-sept-2018-a.html

[Kulwin Park]

I think Kulwin Park is referring to this one:

https://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/612961-cabri-crash-john-wayne-airport-sept-2018-a.html

THAT'S THE ONE - THANKS.

[Robbiee]

This little aircraft certainly does a good job in keeping its pax alive

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/687x387/dyqkldiw0aa4ts4_7e87fadfb933dab15ab095e1493be4feff705090.jpg
From the BEA Twitter account

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1200x675/dyqkldhwsae4un__6522c20e210e7a4b28b1919a8ee7e5be0a4d9f21.jpg
Good thing 'cause they don't seem to be doing a great job at staying in the air!

[500e]

Pot Kettle black :=

[jellycopter]

There do seem to have been rather a lot of G2 accidents in its ralatively short life. I appreciate that it is a purpose-built trainer so the risk factor is high, however to me, without having done any sort of in depth study, it seems a bit accident prone. This is a shame, as it is my machine of choice when I retire from full time 'paid' flying.

Does anyone have any accident stats in terms of accidents per 100,000 flying hours? Have there yet been any fatal accidents? It would be interesting to know.

JJ

[Hot and Hi]

Only 1 fatal accident - the midair collision that happened last year in the U.K.

[tqmatch]

Only 1 fatal accident - the midair collision that happened last year in the U.S.

Are you sure you are not recalling the fatal mid-air that happened here in the UK? Or has there been two mid-air collisions with the G2?

[Hot and Hi]

Are you sure you are not recalling the fatal mid-air that happened here in the UK? Or has there been two mid-air collisions with the G2?
Sorry yes, it was U.K. on 17.11.18. A Cessna 152 (G-WACG) and a Guimbal Cabri G-2 (G-JAMM) crashed following a mid-air collision near Aylesbury, England. Both occupants of the Cessna and both occupants of the Cabri helicopter, pilot and student, suffered fatal injuries.

I shall correct my post above. The basic message was that there were no GUIMBAL fatalities that could be linked in any way to the way it flies.

[tqmatch]

Does anyone know how the BC Helicopters G2 which crashed during auto's training last November got on in relation to staying on top of its skids? From the write ups I have read, directional control was lost due to low NR and therefore low TR Speed making the fenestron ineffective, so if there were going to be forces to present to topple off of the skid cross tubes surely this would have been a "good" accident example to look at?

[malabo]

Look here, another picture a few posts down. G2 thread (https://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/296022-guimbal-cabri-g2-68.html#post10322300)

Nothing magic about the G2, as it fills in more of the R22 role, you’ll see proportionally more accidents. From the report:
Date Entered:
2019-01-25
Narrative:
Update TSB Report #A18P0169: C-GELP, a Helicopteres Guimbal Cabri G2 aircraft operated by British Columbia Helicopters, was conducting an autorotation training flight within the infield at Abbotsford (CYXX), BC with 1 instructor and 1 student on board. During the descent into the wind, the main rotor RPM decreased lower than anticipated. The Fenestron tail rotor became inefficient, and directional control was lost. As directional control was re-established in close proximity to the ground, the wind direction shifted, the helicopter skid tube contacted the ground and the helicopter rolled over. The instructor and the student exited the helicopter with minor injuries. The helicopter sustained substantial damage. The wind velocity at the time of the accident was 18 knots, gusting to 28 knots. There was no post impact fire.

[WillyPete]

It looks similar to a previous Cabri G2 accident, where the helicopter fuselage has slid off the skid landing gear. Maybe it's just my view, by looking at the pictures.

That's their design.
They all do that when there's a lateral impact.

https://resources.stuff.co.nz/content/dam/images/1/l/8/e/q/6/image.related.StuffLandscapeSixteenByNine.620x349.1l81zp.png/1503560179344.jpg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1200x675/dyqkldhwsae4un__6522c20e210e7a4b28b1919a8ee7e5be0a4d9f21.jpg


It does look like a single attachment point on each crosstube, wonder why they did that?

There's multiple points.
To allow it to slide in a lateral impact.
In all cases where it's happened, the side of the cabin is on the floor. The cabin is usually always parallel to the floor.
Easier egress? Stabilises the wreck after a crash to prevent further flipping or spinning? I don't know.

Best guess is absorbing the energy of the crash.
The rate of left rotation is unknown, but markings on the ground indicate that there was a single impact and that the helicopter struck and rolled in place, with the rear portion of the landing gear embedded in the ground. The linear and angular momentum was absorbed by the landing gear, spreading the skids, with additional energy absorbed by the fuselage sliding across the skid tubes.
https://www.caa.govt.nz/assets/legacy/Accidents_and_Incidents/Accident_Reports/ZK-IMZ.pdf

[[email protected]]

Surely it would be better to just design the skids to splay progressively on impact keeping the fuselage upright and preventing the rotors impacting the ground which is always going to be expensive to repair.

[jellycopter]

Surely it would be better to just design the skids to splay progressively on impact keeping the fuselage upright and preventing the rotors impacting the ground which is always going to be expensive to repair.
Unless you're in the market for selling spare parts of course!

[helirobin]

very droll!!!

[WillyPete]

Surely it would be better to just design the skids to splay progressively on impact keeping the fuselage upright and preventing the rotors impacting the ground which is always going to be expensive to repair.

Probably, if it was a larger helo with more people on it.
As it is, doing it this way will mean the rotor stops damned fast if the instructor messes up beyond salvation.
If you hit hard enough laterally to dislodge the skids, you're going in hard all the way. A splayed skid on a sideways impact won't prevent you flipping it on its back.