Wirestrike Accident Eurocopter AS 350B3+ Écureuil HB-ZKF, Wednesday 16 May 2018
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Date:Wednesday 16 May 2018
Time:c. 10:00 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic AS50 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Eurocopter AS 350B3+ Écureuil
Owner/operator:Air Zermatt
Registration: HB-ZKF
MSN: 4541
Year of manufacture:2008
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:0
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Category:Accident
Location:near Raron aerodrome (VS) -   Switzerland
Phase: Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature:External load operation
Departure airport:Raron Airfield (LSTA)
Destination airport:Raron Airfield (LSTA)
Investigating agency: STSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
The accident occurred during an exercise with an underslung firefighting bucket. The aircraft clipped a power line and came to rest in a lake.
The pilot, alone on board, managed to get out of the machine. Injured, he was transported to hospital in Bern.


Causes
The accident in which a helicopter collided with a high-voltage line while taking up water in a lake was due to the fact that the pilot did not notice the helicopter drifting to the side during the hovering flight by means of a vertical reference to the water surface.
No person was following the operation from the ground, hence no warning could be given.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: STSB
Report number: 
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 11 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

https://www.lematin.ch/news/standard/helicoptere-air-zermatt-crashe-valais/story/20945476
https://www.facebook.com/airzermatt.ch/photos/a.247445185292390.52419.232500263453549/1674946615875566/?type=3

______________________
https://www.air-zermatt.ch/wordpress/en/
https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/view/1271616

History of this aircraft

Other occurrences involving this aircraft

29 August 2014 HB-ZKF Eisten, VS unk

Location

Images:


Photo: Police cantonale valaisanne

Media:

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
16-May-2018 14:00 Iceman 29 Added
16-May-2018 14:02 Iceman 29 Updated [Embed code, ]
16-May-2018 14:07 Iceman 29 Updated [Time, Embed code, ]
16-May-2018 14:11 Iceman 29 Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Source, ]
16-May-2018 14:12 Iceman 29 Updated [Aircraft type, ]
16-May-2018 14:12 Anon. Updated [Aircraft type, ]
16-May-2018 14:13 harro Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Source, ]
16-May-2018 14:14 harro Updated [Aircraft type, ]
16-May-2018 14:19 Iceman 29 Updated [Photo, ]
16-May-2018 14:23 Anon. Updated [Damage, ]
16-May-2018 16:04 Geno Updated [Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, ]
16-May-2018 18:05 Iceman 29 Updated [Aircraft type, ]
16-May-2018 19:26 Aerossurance Updated [Aircraft type, Location, Narrative, ]
16-May-2018 21:26 Aerossurance Updated [Narrative, ]
17-May-2018 20:25 Iceman 29 Updated [Embed code, ]
08-May-2019 17:36 harro Updated [Departure airport, Destination airport, Embed code, Narrative, Accident report, ]
09-Dec-2020 08:45 harro Updated [Departure airport, Destination airport, Photo, ]
07-Dec-2023 21:02 harro Updated [Other fatalities, ]

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