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| Date: | Friday 1 January 2021 |
| Time: | 19:54 LT |
| Type: |  Robinson R44 Raven II |
| Owner/operator: | Bar 71 Land and Livestock Ltd |
| Registration: | C-FBGT |
| MSN: | 13801 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2015 |
| Engine model: | Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Birch Hills County, 10 nm SW of Eaglesham, AB -
 Canada
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | |
| DeBolt, Alberta | |
| Investigating agency: | TSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
At 19:41 local time the Robinson R44 Raven II helicopter departed a farm 6 nautical miles south of Eaglesham/Delta Tango Field Aerodrome, Alberta, on a night visual flight rules flight to DeBolt, Alberta, approximately 30 nautical miles to the south-southwest. The pilot and 3 passengers were on board. At approximately 19:54 the helicopter collided with terrain 10 nautical miles southwest of Eaglesham, Alberta (25.5 nautical miles northeast of DeBolt). The 4 occupants were fatally injured. The helicopter was destroyed and there was a post-impact fire. An emergency locator transmitter signal was received by the search and rescue satellite system.
Findings as to causes and contributing factors
- The pilot departed into weather that was forecast to be below the limits required for a night visual flight rules flight and, as a result, there were limited external visual cues available to the pilot during the flight.
- The decision to depart for the occurrence flight was likely a result of the pilot’s mental model that weather conditions were suitable based on his assessment of the weather products he accessed.
- The success of the short repositioning flight over the nearby Eaglesham/Delta Tango Field Aerodrome likely reinforced the pilot’s mental model regarding the suitability of the weather and influenced his decision to depart on the occurrence flight.
- As a result of the limited external visual cues, the pilot became spatially disoriented while en route and lost control of the helicopter, and the helicopter collided with the ground.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
https://edmonton.ctvnews.ca/4-killed-in-new-year-s-day-helicopter-crash-in-northern-alberta-1.5251284
https://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/four-killed-in-helicopter-crash-in-northern-albertas-birch-hills-county
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/alberta/article-four-people-dead-in-helicopter-crash-in-northwestern-alberta-rcmp-say/
https://edmonton.ctvnews.ca/northern-alta-helicopter-crash-victims-identified-as-married-couple-and-daughters-1.5252135?cache=wpwecmoua
https://www.prairiecoastequipment.com/news/blog/it-starts-heere-how-to-make-a-sandwich-/
https://www.tsb.gc.ca/eng/enquetes-investigations/aviation/2021/A21W0001/A21W0001.html
https://wwwapps.tc.gc.ca/saf-sec-sur/2/ccarcs-riacc/ADet.aspx?id=527863&rfr=RchAvc.aspx
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/CFBGT
https://robinsonheli.com/r44-specifications/
https://www.tsb.gc.ca/eng/enquetes-investigations/aviation/2021/A21W0001/A21W0001.html
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 02-Jan-2021 19:31 | harro | Added |
| 02-Jan-2021 19:32 | harro | Updated [Location, ] |
| 02-Jan-2021 21:05 | Aerossurance | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 02-Jan-2021 21:12 | Geno | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Location, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 02-Jan-2021 21:18 | Aerossurance | Updated [Aircraft type, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 06-Jan-2021 01:47 | Geno | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Nature, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 11-Jan-2021 16:33 | Aerossurance | Updated [Time, Location, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 11-Jan-2021 18:11 | harro | Updated [Time, Source, Narrative, Category, ] |
| 11-May-2022 16:36 | harro | Updated [Time, Phase, Destination airport, Narrative, Accident report, ] |
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