Accident Eurocopter AS 350B3 Ecureuil EC-LHP,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 123064
 
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Date:Wednesday 15 June 2011
Time:09:40
Type:Silhouette image of generic AS50 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Eurocopter AS 350B3 Ecureuil
Owner/operator:Heliand (CAT Helicopters)
Registration: EC-LHP
MSN: 4916
Year of manufacture:2010
Fatalities:Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 6
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Category:Accident
Location:Pleta de Juclar, Canillo -   Andorra
Phase: En route
Nature:External load operation
Departure airport:staging area in the vicinity of Pont d’Incles
Destination airport:Juclar shelter
Investigating agency: CIAIAC
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
Crashed; one occupant suffered serious burns remain in hospital of Barcelona. According to sources from Andorra, helicopter was flying to bring food and material for new season to Juclar refuge in mountaneous region of NE Andorra. Probably the material transported on the rope under the chopper caches the trees resulting in immediate crash and explosion.

3.2. Causes
The accident took place as the result of making a flight to ferry operators with the load sling left attached to the helicopter unbeknownst to the crew. This is why the flight was made at such a low altitude and high speed in comparison to those specified for operating with a sling. Under these conditions, when the helicopter flew over the crags, the sling fouled the branches of a pine tree, causing the helicopter to become unstable before crashing to the ground.
Contributing to the accident is the fact that the pilot and mechanic delegated the task of unhooking the load to an individual who, though used to doing it, was not specifically trained to do so, and then not checking that it had been properly done.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: CIAIAC
Report number: 
Status: Investigation completed
Duration:
Download report: Final report

Sources:

El Periodic d'Andorra
http://agencias.abc.es/agencias/noticia.asp?noticia=850275
http://helihub.com/2011/06/15/15-jun-11-pleta-de-juclar-andorra-4f/
https://www.fomento.gob.es/NR/rdonlyres/C40E5728-BF2A-45DA-9CA7-9AEEFFA16C67/121623/2011_Ext_Andorra_ENG.pdf

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
15-Jun-2011 04:59 gferran Added
15-Jun-2011 07:53 TB Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Operator, Other fatalities, Location, Source, Narrative]
15-Jun-2011 10:30 TB Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Total fatalities, Phase, Source]
15-Jun-2011 10:34 TB Updated [Aircraft type, Source]
15-Jun-2011 11:57 Anon. Updated [Source]
15-Jun-2011 11:57 harro Updated [Registration, Source]
15-Jun-2011 22:44 RobertMB Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Nature, Source]
15-Jun-2011 22:45 RobertMB Updated [Aircraft type, Source]
22-Jun-2011 06:07 Anon. Updated [Location, Source, Narrative]
08-Jun-2020 17:08 KagurazakaHanayo Updated [Registration, Cn, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
08-Jun-2020 17:09 harro Updated [Departure airport, Accident report, ]

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