Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

La Spezia Italy
Thursday, April 26, 2007 17:12 UTC

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

On April 26, 2007, at 1712 coordinated universal time (UTC), an Erickson S-64F helicopter, I-SEAD, was destroyed during a postcrash fire, following an emergency landing and impact with trees near La Spezia, Italy. The two foreign certificated pilots were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local aerial application flight, which departed Lucca, Italy, about 1632 UTC. According to the initial notification, the flightcrew reported that they were in a left turn, attempting to drop water on a fire. During the left turn, one of the pilots noticed that the main rotor speed decreased, and immediately lowered the collective. The main rotor speed increased; however, the flightcrew experienced flight control problems, and performed an emergency landing to a wooded area. During the landing, the helicopter rolled left and subsequently came to rest on its right side. Both pilots were able to egress before a fire consumed the wreckage. This investigation is under jurisdiction of the Government of the Italy. For further information contact: Agenzia Nazionale per la Sicurrezza del Volo (ANSV) Via Attilio Benigni, 53 00156 Roma, Italia Phone: (39) 06 82078236 Fax: (39) 34 81516732 This report is for informational purposes only.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/26/2007
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1712
Event Time Zone Coordinated Universal Time? Same as GMT
Event City La Spezia
Event State --
Event Country ITALY
Zipcode of the event site --
Event Date Year 2007
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 440536N
Event Location Longitude 0095240E
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport --
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source --
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions --
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) --
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency Foreign
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) --
NTSB Notification Source ANSV
NTSB Notification Date Jun 28 2007 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 6 2007 10:42AM
User who most recently changed record MUZD
Basic weather conditions --
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number --
NTSB Number NYC07WA152
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Non-U.S., Commercial
Type of Flight Plan filed Unknown
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire --
Aircraft Explosion --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Erickson
Aircraft Model S-64F
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number --
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines --
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed --
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name --
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City --
Aircraft Owner State --
Aircraft Owner Country --
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? --
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? --
Operator Street Address --
Operator City --
Operator State --
Operator Country IT
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) --
Second Pilot on Board --
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code LIQL
Departure City Lucca, Italy
Departure State --
Departure Country --
Departure Time 1632
Departure Time Zone UTC
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering - aerial application
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 6 2007 10:42AM
User who most recently changed record MUZD
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --