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| Date: | Wednesday 6 June 2012 |
| Time: | 17:23 LT |
| Type: |  Sikorsky S-58ET |
| Owner/operator: | Helicópteros del Cusco (HeliCusco) |
| Registration: | OB-1840-P |
| MSN: | 581672 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1963 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 6788 hours |
| Engine model: | P&W Canada PT6T |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 14 / Occupants: 14 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed, written off |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Cerro Mama Rosa (Nevado Ancahuachana) -
 Peru
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Passenger - Non-Scheduled/charter/Air Taxi |
| Departure airport: | Mazuco |
| Cusco | |
| Investigating agency: | CIAA |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
A Helicusco Sikorsky S-58 ET helicopter impacted the side of a mountain (Cerro Mama Rosa), Peru, killing all 14 on board.
The Sikorsky S-58 ET helicopter, operated by Helicusco, was scheduled to perform a commercial air support flight for the Nueva Esperanza Hydro Company (NEHYSA) to fly over and/or land at nine points along the Inambari River, in Madre de Dios, transporting twelve people. The helicopter took off from Cusco, bound for the town of Mazuco, at 14:09 UTC, landing at 15:25 UTC. From Mazuco, two exploratory flights were made to the planned points, encountering difficulties due to bad weather in the area.
Finally, at 21:46 UTC, after the last refueling, the aircraft took off back to Cusco. At the moment of impact against Cerro Mama Rosa (Nevado Ancahuachana), the aircraft was at an altitude of 4967 mts (16295 ft) and 37 minutes of flight had elapsed. As a result of the impact, the aircraft disintegrated and caught fire, killing all 14 occupants.
Probable Cause:
CFIT (Controlled Flight Into Terrain) caused by poor flight planning and poor management of the operational risk of the pilot and the company operating the helicopter in bad weather in the last minutes of daylight flight, exceeding the operational limits set by the manufacturer and the FAA.
Contributory Factors:
The decision of the technical crew return to Cusco despite the late hour and projections of bad weather in the area, contrary to the current certification of the helicopter.
The bad weather conditions in the Mazuco-Cusco route, present a front of low clouds with temperatures and icy winds on the mountain chain both en route to Paucartambo, and the path to Urcos.
Failure to implement corrective action or suspend the company, on the part of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, allowing operations to continue, despite the conditions on acceptable safety levels of according to Note No. 179-2012-MTC / 12.04, the Report No. 160-2012- MTC / 12.07.EEF as stipulated in Articles No. 195 and 196 of the Rules of Civil Aeronautics Act No. 27261.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-18354836
http://latina-press.com/news/126542-peru-hubschrauber-mit-auslaendischen-touristen-in-der-region-cusco-vermisst-update/
https://kurier.at/nachrichten/4499003-peru-helikopter-mit-oesterreichern-vermisst.php_
http://archivo.elcomercio.pe/sociedad/lima/helicoptero-siniestrado-cusco-explosiono-choque-afirma-rescatista-noticia-1426192
https://www.flickr.com/photos/22331715@N06/2703488204/
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/wife-sues-firm-of-banker-who-died-in-andes-helicopter-crash-8992868.html
ttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-30878667
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 07-Jun-2012 13:49 | Tommy Maurer | Added |
| 07-Jun-2012 13:54 | harro | Updated [Aircraft type, Narrative, ] |
| 07-Jun-2012 17:26 | Black Typhoon | Updated [Registration, Cn, Operator, Source, ] |
| 08-Jun-2012 00:41 | TB | Updated [Date, Time, Other fatalities, Location, ] |
| 10-Jun-2012 00:45 | gerard57 | Updated [Source, Damage, Narrative, ] |
| 10-Jun-2012 11:46 | TB | Updated [Source, ] |
| 11-Jun-2012 11:08 | aegir | Updated [Source, Embed code, ] |
| 18-Jul-2012 09:41 | TB | Updated [Departure airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative, ] |
| 30-Aug-2014 14:12 | Aerossurance | Updated [Source, Narrative, ] |
| 31-Aug-2014 18:03 | Aerossurance | Updated [Source, Narrative, ] |
| 31-Aug-2014 18:24 | Aerossurance | Updated [Narrative, ] |
| 19-Jan-2015 17:05 | Aerossurance | Updated [Nature, Source, ] |
| 20-Jan-2015 23:07 | Aerossurance | Updated [Time, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 19-Jul-2020 18:55 | harro | Updated [Source, Narrative, Accident report, ] |
| 17-Mar-2022 18:47 | PolandMoment | Updated [Narrative, ] |
| 20-Oct-2024 18:56 | ASN | Updated [Other fatalities, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative, Category, ] |
| 20-Oct-2024 19:13 | ASN | Updated [Other fatalities, Narrative, ] |
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