Accident Bell UH-1D Iroquois HC-CEA, Wednesday 13 December 2006

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Date:	Wednesday 13 December 2006
Time:
Type:	Bell UH-1D Iroquois
Owner/operator:
Registration:	HC-CEA
MSN:	8053
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 3
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	near kilometer 60 on the Puyo-Macas road - Ecuador
Phase:	Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature:	External load operation
Departure airport:
Destination airport:
Investigating agency:	DGAC Ecuador
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
The Bell UH-1D helicopter arrived at Río Amazonas Airport from Macas with the purpose of starting a series of flights the next day, transporting wood as an external load using a long sling in a sector northeast of kilometer 60 on the Puyo-Macas road.

On December 13, 2006, it took off from Río Amazonas Airport at 14:46 UTC (09:46 local time) and headed to the Pitirishca sector to carry out this operation. At 15:05 UTC (10:05 local time), it reported its position over Pitirishca with no issues — this was the last communication from the aircraft.

Throughout the day, it had completed twelve flights without any incident. While conducting the thirteenth flight and approaching the unloading point, the helicopter experienced a sudden right bank, and the load became unstable, initiating a pendulum motion. Almost immediately, the load grazed the treetops. The mechanic, who was in the cabin visually monitoring the load, warned the pilot not to descend, to reduce speed, and to maintain altitude, but the helicopter was already out of control.

The helicopter descended until the load struck the ground, dragged for 25 meters, then fell again and hit the bottom of a rectangular pit 0.80 meters deep, where the load got anchored in the muddy terrain, stopping the helicopter’s movement. The helicopter then fell abruptly and impacted the ground 50 meters further ahead, very close to the designated unloading area.

PROBABLE CAUSE
The Accident Investigation Board concludes that the probable cause of this accident was the pilot’s failure to release the load after it first came into contact with the treetops, which led to the destabilization of the helicopter and the subsequent loss of control.

CONTRIBUTING FACTORS
- The pilot’s lack of experience in long-line cargo transport operations.
- The abrupt reduction in speed during the approach to the unloading zone.

Accident investigation: