Accident Aérospatiale SA 315B Lama HB-XII, Saturday 18 December 2021
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Date:Saturday 18 December 2021
Time:c. 10:00
Type:Silhouette image of generic LAMA model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Aérospatiale SA 315B Lama
Owner/operator:Air Zermatt AG
Registration: HB-XII
MSN: 2551
Year of manufacture:1979
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 4
Other fatalities:0
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Category:Accident
Location:Alphubel, VS -   Switzerland
Phase: Landing
Nature:Private
Departure airport:Raron Airfield (LSTA)
Destination airport:Alphubel, VS
Investigating agency: STSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
An Aérospatiale SA 315B Lama helicopter, sustained substantial damage when it crashed during landing at the Alphubel moutain, Saas-Fee, Valais, at 3,782 meters above sea level.
One of the four occupants sustained minor injuries.

Conclusions
The accident, in which the helicopter made hard contact with the snow- and ice-covered terrain at a residual ground speed pitching forward, was due to a partial loss of control over ground speed and sink rate as a result of an approach technique and use of available power not adapted to the day's wind conditions.
The following factors contributed to the accident
 The lack of systematic reconnaissance;
 The approach was made with the wind at his back without the pilot being aware of it;
 A lack of overall perspective caused by a combination of a possible preconceived notion, the uncritical use of conflicting information, and a fixation on the objective.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: STSB
Report number: 
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 3 years and 6 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

https://www.polizei-schweiz.ch/unfall-alphubel-taesch-vs-harte-helikopterlandung-mit-drei-passagieren/
https://www.watson.ch/schweiz/polizeirapport/979047738-helikopterunfaelle-in-zermatt-und-unteriberg-sz
https://www.blick.ch/schweiz/westschweiz/im-wallis-und-in-schwyz-zwei-piloten-schrotten-ihre-helikopter-id17080639.html
https://www.rhonefm.ch/actualites/un-helicoptere-dair-zermatt-accidente-lors-dun-atterrissage-en-montagne

https://www.airteamimages.com/pics/287/287013_big.jpg (photo)

History of this aircraft

Other occurrences involving this aircraft

8 April 1981 HB-XII Air Zermatt AG 0 Oberaletschgletscher, VS sub
28 September 1984 HB-XII Tätschen, VS unk
24 May 1991 HB-XII Air Zermatt AG 0 Betten, VS sub
8 July 2009 HB-XII Air Zermatt 0 Dufourspitze non
8 January 2016 HB-XII Raron Flugplatz (LSTA) unk

Location

Media:

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
18-Dec-2021 19:37 gerard57 Added
18-Dec-2021 20:50 gerard57 Updated [Aircraft type, Source, ]
18-Dec-2021 21:04 harro Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Source, ]
18-Dec-2021 22:19 RobertMB Updated [Time, Registration, Cn, Operator, Location, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, ]
19-Dec-2021 11:50 Captain Adam Updated [Departure airport, Embed code, Narrative, ]
19-Dec-2021 12:18 Aerossurance Updated [Source, Embed code, ]
19-Dec-2021 12:24 Aerossurance Updated [Embed code, ]
19-Dec-2021 14:41 harro Updated [Embed code, Narrative, ]
19-Dec-2021 14:42 harro Updated
19-Dec-2021 14:59 RobertMB Updated [Time, Departure airport, Narrative, ]
27-Jun-2025 07:33 ASN Updated [Narrative, Accident report, ]
27-Jun-2025 07:35 ASN Updated [Narrative, ]

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