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| Date: | Thursday 8 February 2024 |
| Time: | 12:00 |
| Type: |  Eurocopter EC 155 B1 |
| Owner/operator: | Héli Sécurité |
| Registration: | F-HEGT |
| MSN: | 6978 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 7 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Minor |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | over Montmélian, Savoie -
 France
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Passenger - Non-Scheduled/charter/Air Taxi |
| Departure airport: | Chambéry Airport (CMF/LFLB) |
| Courchevel Altiport (CVF/LFLJ) | |
| Investigating agency: | BEA |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
A Eurocopter EC 155 B1 helicopter (F-HEGT) and a Nord 1203 III (F-AYVV) collided in flight over Montmélian, Savoie.
The EC 155 force landed in a field and the Nord 1203 landed back at Albertville-Tournon Airfield (LFKA) with damage to the wing.
The pilots of both aircraft were on a head-on trajectory with a high relative speed of about 280 kt (520 km/h or 145 m/s) at the same flight altitude, flying through the Albertville valley in uncontrolled airspace. Although they were listening to the same radio frequency, they were unaware of each other's opposing route.
The helicopter pilot visually detected the airplane just before the collision and initiated an emergency avoidance maneuver by turning right and descending. The airplane pilot, however, only spotted the helicopter during the avoidance maneuver and did not have time to react and alter his course.
The avoidance maneuver initiated by the helicopter pilot avoided a head-on collision, but the separation between the two aircraft during the crossing was not sufficient to prevent contact between the helicopter's main rotor blades and the airplane. Both aircraft were damaged but remained controllable, and the pilots managed to land in a field for the helicopter and at the Albertville aerodrome for the airplane.
contributing factor
May have contributed to the pilots' late detection of a conflict situation:
• the limitations of the "see and avoid" principle, exacerbated by the two aircraft approaching head-on at a high relative speed.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
https://www.ledauphine.com/faits-divers-justice/2024/02/08/collision-en-plein-vol-entre-un-helicoptere-et-un-avion
https://lessorsavoyard.lemessager.fr/649311789/article/2024-02-08/savoie-un-avion-et-un-helicoptere-se-touchent-en-plein-vohttps://aerossurance.com/air-accidents-incidents/ec155-light-aircraft-mid-air-collision-all-survive/
https://cdn.jetphotos.com/full/5/88528_1497953189.jpg (photo)
History of this aircraft
Ex F-WWOH
Location
Media:
Miraculous escape after EC155 / light aircraft collision. Only helicopter crew saw the other aircraft but <2 seconds before collision. https://t.co/4S8M4wjFW0 #helicopter #flightsafety #aviationsafety pic.twitter.com/SiULFt6CDo
— Aerossurance (@Aerossurance) June 7, 2025
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 08-Feb-2024 14:35 | Anon. | Added |
| 08-Feb-2024 14:38 | ASN | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Narrative, ] |
| 08-Feb-2024 14:44 | ASN | Updated [Total occupants, Narrative, ] |
| 08-Feb-2024 14:48 | ASN | Updated [Time, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 08-Feb-2024 20:31 | Iceman 29 | Updated [Location, Embed code, ] |
| 08-Feb-2024 20:34 | Iceman 29 | Updated [Embed code, Category, ] |
| 08-Feb-2024 21:46 | RobertMB | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Source, Narrative, Category, ] |
| 08-Feb-2024 21:54 | RobertMB | Updated |
| 08-Feb-2024 21:54 | RobertMB | Updated [Location, ] |
| 28-Feb-2024 08:48 | ASN | Updated [Destination airport, Narrative, Accident report, ] |
| 24-Dec-2024 19:58 | ASN | Updated [Narrative, Accident report, ] |
| 07-Jun-2025 08:05 | Aerossurance | Updated [Source, ] |
| 07-Jun-2025 14:50 | Aerossurance | Updated [Embed code, ] |
| 07-Jun-2025 14:51 | Aerossurance | Updated [Embed code, ] |
| 07-Jun-2025 14:51 | Aerossurance | Updated |
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