A new report says ineffective reconnaissance, glare from the sun, and unexpected position of wires led to the 2021 helicopter accident in Brantford.
The report was released today by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB).
On July 25th, 2021, the Robinson R44 helicopter operated by Apex Helicopters Inc. left a field on the outskirts of Brantford for agricultural spraying. At the end of the first spray run, the helicopter lost control after crashing into wires.
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The helicopter crashed around 270 ft. from the wire strike location. The pilot was seriously inured and the helicopter was totalled. The pilot was the only passenger on board.
The reports says the wires hit by the helicopter were lower than other nearby wires. They were also on along the edge of a corn field instead of alongside a road where they typically are.
In addition, a portion of the flight path were directly towards the sun’s glare, affecting the pilot’s visibility along with spray fluid, dirt, or debris on the windshield.
The report says the pilots use of a flight helmet, lap belt, and shoulder harness helped reduce the severity of injuries sustained.
