HTDI

This helicopter was registered in the UK to Sloane Helicopters Ltd as G-BXUD from May 5, 1998, till July 20, 1998.

Re-registered in the UK to Powersense Ltd as G-POWR from July 20, 1998, till August 14, 2000.

Re-registered in the UK to private as G-POWR from August 14, 2000, till March 21, 2001, as transferred to the German register as D-HARI (4) till October 2008.

Re-registered to Helicopter Travel Munich GmbH (HTM) as D-HHTM with Mode-S Hex: 3DE716 from October 2008.

This helicopter was flown by a 62-year-old pilot with a 53-year-old co-pilot for a training flight from its home base in Ottobrunn to Oberschleissheim on August 2, 2016. The two-person crew embarked on a training flight with this Agusta A 109E helicopter. They departed from the Ottobrunn Heliport (EDMR) at 14:53 LT and flew west around Munich to the Oberschleißheim Heliport (EDNX). The training involved three southern circuit patterns (glider circuit) with simulated one-engine failure approaches to Runway 26. During these approaches, the nose wheel was locked, and the main rotor speed was set to 102%.
First Approach: A roll-on landing was performed on Runway 26 with approximately 25 knots forward speed.
Second Approach: A Category A (CAT-A) approach to a confined area before the runway was planned. The instructor (TRI) simulated a one-engine failure before the Landing Decision Point (LDP). The pilot flying (PF) aborted the approach and conducted a single-engine go-around.
Third Approach: The TRI simulated a one-engine failure after the LDP. The PF continued the approach with approximately 20 knots forward speed and a descent rate of less than 300 ft/min. The landing was executed with the parking brake released and within the maximum allowable single-engine power limits. Upon touchdown, the collective pitch lever was promptly reduced, and the main rotor speed was set to 100%.
Accident Sequence: After coming to a stable landing, the TRI disabled the single-engine training mode. Suddenly, the helicopter experienced vertical oscillations, suggesting ground resonance to both pilots. The TRI attempted to counteract this by pulling the collective pitch lever. However, this action intensified the vertical oscillations and induced horizontal oscillations. The helicopter started bouncing from the left to the right main gear and back, leading to a rotor blade strike on the ground due to the resultant tilt. The fuselage spun around its vertical axis and, following an emergency engine shutdown, came to rest partially on the fuselage with the left main gear broken. The helicopter sustained severe damage. Both pilots exited the helicopter independently. The TRI sustained a laceration on the back of the head.
Conclusion: The accident was triggered by ground resonance shortly after the training exercise was concluded. The immediate response to the oscillations inadvertently exacerbated the situation, resulting in severe damage to the helicopter upon impact with the ground.

Report from BFU Bulletin: 2016

Canceled as PWFU on October 19, 2016.

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