The following cases were published and investigated using our support:
|
BEA-É - Hautes-Pyrénées, France Cougar Accident, 2020 Flight Path Reconstruction based on Video Data 
|
In the afternoon of the 15th April 2020, the helicopter of the type Cougar takes of at 14:43h local time, from its base in the Hautes-Pyrénées in France. After the last winching, as part of the last exercise, the consequence of a power failure was simulated while hovering. The helicopter lost altitude, felt vertically and crashed into a field. After the impact the helicopter caught fire and was destroyed. The flight path with the helicopters attitude and groundspeed could be reconstructed based on eyewitness video information. Further, the wind direction and wind speed was verified based on a 3d reconstruction of the column of smoke. Follow us on LinkedIn - #iwiation 
Published Report
|
|
BEA - Conquet, France EC135 T2 / Paraglider, 2019 Flight Path Reconstruction based on FDR, Witness and Image Data 
|
On 11th May 2019 a rescue helicopter intended to land at the beach to pick up an injured person. The pilot approached the beach from the South with local wind from North-West. At the same time a paraglider was flying on the right side (East) from the helicopter. Witnesses on the ground observed the helicopter approaching and suddenly saw the paraglider dropping near the beach. The paragliders canopy collapsed some seconds after the helicopter passed by. The flight path of the paraglider could be reconstructed based on witness / photo information. The pilot’s perspective was visualized in 3D with scan of the beach area. Finally, the overall scenario was analyzed in 3D together with a detailed aerodynamic simulation, to verify the reconstructed moment when the paragliders canopy collapsed. The analysis confirmed that the wake turbulence was shifted to the East into the direction of the paraglider’s flight path. BEA has published as well a "Lessons-Learned" Video, explaining the wake turbulence effect and the impact of local wind to its trajectory. Many pilots and paraglider are aware about the danger of wake turbulence, however local wind conditions have to be considered, as they can change the wakes trajectory. Follow us on LinkedIn - #iwiation |
|
BEA-É - Pyrenees, France EC145 C2 Accident, 2020 Flight Path Reconstruction based on Flight and Video Data 
|
On Saturday, June 6th, 2020, a mission is carried out by the French air rescue in the Col de la Taillandère in French Pyrénées. The crew took off at 12h02 from the Hospital of Pau to perform a rescue mission of an injured hiker in the mountains.
The helicopter was in hover close to the mountain to onboard the injured hiker. During this moment of the rescue maneuver, the helicopter had a main rotor strike with the close terrain. Shortly after accident event, the pilot landed the damaged helicopter. The accident event was reconstructed based on available video and flight data. In addition, a detailed terrain scan supported the reconstruction of the location of the main rotor strike event. Based on the internal and external sounds that were recorded by the helicopters flight recorder, the duration (628 milliseconds) of the main rotor strike could be verified with the reconstructed flight path. Further the sound information allowed to determine, that each blade collided 3 or 4 times with the terrain. This result could be verified with the damage analysis of the blades. Finally, the photo-realistic 3D reconstruction with local weather conditions, supported the accident investigation and can be used for future lessons learned training. Follow us on LinkedIn - #iwiation 
Published Report
|
|
NTSB - Hertford, North Carolina USA EC145 Accident, 2017 Flight Path Reconstruction based on Skyconnect Data and Eyewitness Statements 
|
An EC145 made a transfer on the 8th September 2017 from Sentara Albemarle Medical Center, Elizabeth City, NC. The helicopter from air ambulance crashed at 11:20 local time into a field close to a wind farm near Hertford, North Carolina, USA. Several witnesses observed the helicopter in flight, reporting a smoke trail shortly before the accident occurred. The helicopter was equipped with a flight-data system, but no data could be retrieved. The flightpath could be reconstructed, by using the iwi-methodology, based on the witness statements combined with data from the sky-connect tracker. The NTSB published its final report in February 2021, concluding that the number 2 engine had a technical failure. The analysis of the wreckage and the reconstructed iwi® flight path accord, that the helicopter started to fall almost vertically at 500 feet AGL. Follow us on LinkedIn - #iwiation |
|
Trinidad and Tobago Civil Aviation Authority EC135– Accident, Trinidad, 2019 Flight Path Reconstruction based on Video Information 
|
On May 15th 2019, about 13:00, an EC135 P2+ was damaged by having a hard landing during an aerial exercise near Arouca, Trinidad. Due to the fact, that there was no FDR available, the flight data could be reconstructed using the iwi® methodology based on an available video recording of a witness, which filmed the accident. In addition to the flight path, vertical speed, groundspeed, as well as the helicopter attitudes could be reconstructed, supporting the accident investigation to clarify the root cause. The Trinidad and Tobago Civil Aviation Authority investigated the accident, concluding the probable causal factor: "The helicopter descended rapidly, while in a spin and contacted the surface at a significant descent rate which resulted in a “hard landing. Loss of control/Tail Rotor Control, below normal RPM which contributes to the reducing of the effectiveness of the tail rotor." Follow us on LinkedIn - #iwiation |
|
Directorate of Flight Safety of the German Bundeswehr EC135– Accident, Germany, 2019 Flight Path Reconstruction and Pilots View Visualization 
|
On 1st July 2019, an EC135 military helicopter crashed near the city of Hameln in Germany. The directorate of Flight Safety of the German Bundeswehr presented its final report in May 2020. iwiation was selected to support the investigation, reconstructing the complete accident scenario and visualizing in real-time with its latest Virtual-Reality technology to support the root cause analysis. Follow us on LinkedIn - #iwiation |
|
Directorate of Flight Safety of the German Bundeswehr Eurofighter – MidAir Accident, Germany, 2019 Flight Path Reconstruction and Pilots View Visualization 
|
On 24th June 2019, a midair of two Eurofighter occurred in Germany. Both aircrafts crashed. The directorate of Flight Safety of the German Bundeswehr presented its final report in May 2020. iwiation was selected to support the investigation, reconstructing the complete accident scenario and visualizing in real-time with its latest Virtual-Reality technology to support the root cause analysis. Follow us on LinkedIn - #iwiation |
|
NTSB - Trinity Bay, Texas
USA Boeing 767-300 Accident, 2019 Flight Path Reconstruction based on Video Information 
|
On its way on the 23rd of February 2019 from Miami to Houston, the Boeing 767-300 entered suddenly a rapid descent from 6,200 feet and impacted into a marshy bay area around 40 miles away from Houston’s George Bush Int. Airport.
Two surveillance cameras recorded the last five seconds of the descend before the ground impact occurred. The iwi® methodology was applied to validate the latest capabilities to reconstruct flight path, aircraft attitude and groundspeed based on video information. The iwi® results were provided to the NTSB before the blackbox could be recovered. In December 2019 the NTSB published the facts of the accident and the iwi® result compared to the FDR data showed a good match for flight path, attitude and groundspeed. The full iwi® report can be found in the official released accident report. Follow us on LinkedIn - #iwiation 
Published Paper
|
|
Observed Ball Lightning,
Mitino, Russia, 2015/2019 Flight Path Reconstruction based on Video Information 
|
A ball lightning is an unexplained atmospheric electrical phenomenon, described as luminescent ball-shaped object that vary from centimeters up to several meters.
Even though laboratory experiments have resulted visual similarities and effects to reports of ball lightning, the phenomenon is still unclear. On the 27th July of 2015, an unknown flying object was filmed from three different perspectives by residents in Mitino in Russia. The unidentified object was estimated to be a ball lightning, as it showed a bright appearance and the property of flying, which would correspond to the characteristics of such phenomenon. Being notified by this event, the iwi® methodology could reconstruct the following data of the event: - Prove, that all three videos filmed an identical object - Reconstructing of the flight trajectory with timestamp - The object flew a flight path of 370m within 105 secs - Vertical acceleration up to 5 m/s - Flight velocity up to 60 km/h - Object size of 0.5m in diameter - Flight altitude from 220m up to310m The question stays open, if the object was a ball lightning, however the reconstruction confirms that the videos show a real object. Follow us on LinkedIn - #iwiation |
|
BMVIT - Achensee
Austria EC 135P2+ Accident, 2011/2019 Pilots-View Visualization, Flight Path Reconstruction based on Eyewitness Information 
|
In the morning of the 30th March 2011, an Austrian police helicopter of the type EC 135P2+ crashed into the lake of Achensee.
The accident report was recently published in November 2019, including the reconstruction of the overall flightpath as well as the visualization of the pilot’s perspective using the iwi® methodology. The flight path of the helicopter was reconstructed in 2011, based on eyewitness information, being completed within a few days after the accident. The iwi® results could be confirmed with the lateron recovered FDR data, when the wreckage was retrieved from the lake. As the last 9 seconds of the flight data recorder were incomplete, the eyewitness information was used to reconstruct the full flight path as well as the impact location of the helicopter in the lake. To support the official investigation about human factors, the accident scenario was visualized with iwi® using latest Virtual-Reality technology, including laser scanned terrain (128 million points), high resolution aero images (0.25m), cockpit instrumentation and weather effects including water mirror effects. The full iwi® report can be found in the official released accident report. Follow us on LinkedIn - #iwiation 
Published Report
|
|
BEA-É - Carcès
France Gazelle - Mid-Air Accident, 2018 Pilots-View Visualization, Flight Path Reconstruction based on Video Information 
|
In the morning of the 2nd February 2018 two Helicopters (Gazelle SA 342 Ma) of the French Land Force took off from Le Luc, flying two independent missions. After eight minutes the helicopters collided over the lake of Carcès and crashed.
The iwi® methodology was applied to reconstruct and visualize the mid-air collision. The flight data of both helicopters could be reconstructed based on the following information:
The pilots-perspectives have been visualised using iwi® with Virtual-Reality technology, to support the accident-investigation and provide lessons-learned material. The images below show the reconstructed flight path with the error tunnel, as well as the visualized pilots-perspectives shortly before the mid-air collision Follow us on LinkedIn - #iwiation
Published Report
|
|
BEA-É - Hautes-Pyrénées
France EC 145 - Accident, 2016 Pilots-View Visualization, Flight Path Reconstruction based on Video Information 
|
On Friday, May 20, 2016, a mission is carried by the French gendarmerie in the Vignemale Massif in French Pyrénées. The crew took off at 11:40 from Tarbes to perform a mission to deposit and pickup soldiers in the mountains.
After the second pick-up, the helicopter flew very low through the Gaube corridor, hits with the main rotor blades the relief of the mountain and the helicopter crashed. Flight Data could be retrieved but the data of the final flight maneuver was missing. This data was reconstructed with iwi® based on the video-material of a GoPro-camera, that recorded the flight from the take-off position. In addition the pilots-perspective was visualized with iwi® to support the analysis of pilots visibility and potential human factor causes. Follow us on LinkedIn - #iwiation
Published Report
|
|
BEA - Marseille
France A319 & AS532 - Nearmiss, 2016 Pilots-View Visualization, Synchronisation of FDR timestamps based on crew observation 
|
On June 27 in 2016 at 3:45 p.m. the crew of the A319, coming from the aerodrome of Bordeaux-Aquitaine bound for the aerodrome of Marseille-Provence, performed a visual approach to runway 31R.
The AS532 helicopter returned at the same time from a VFR control flight descending towards the aerodrome circuit entry points. As the helicopter's transponder broke down, the air traffic controller only had primary radar contact. A near-miss between both aircrafts occurred with a distance of 350 meters between and 73 meters vertically. The A319 crew observed the helicopter, passing by on the left wing. This key information was used by the iwi® methodology to verify and synchronize the timestamps of both FDR datasets, reconstructing the incident scenario in 3D and visualizing cockpit and external perspectives. Follow us on LinkedIn - #iwiation
Published Report
|
|
JIAAC & BEA - La Rioja
Argentina AS350 - MidAir Accident, 2015 Pilots-View Visualization, Flight Path Reconstruction based on Video Information 
|
On 9th March 2015, a tragedy happened in the province of Rioja - Argentina, where two Airbus Helicopters AS 350 collided in flight shortly after take-off and crashed. The flight was supposed to be for a reality show with three French athletes from the Olympics. The helicopters took off parallel and flew in formation, as the helicopter in the back was filming the front helicopter with the athletes.
As there was no flight and radar data available, the accident was reconstructed by iwi® based on two, on ground recorded videos. The flight path could be reconstructed as well as the ground speeds and helicopter attitudes. Both videos could be time synchronized, considering the time delta between impact noise and visual mid-air collision. Further the real-time visualization of both pilots perspectives supported the human factor analysis of the mid-air situation. Follow us on LinkedIn - #iwiation
Published Report
|
|
NTSB - Island of Molokai
Hawaii EC 130 - Accident, 2011 Flight Path Reconstruction based on Eyewitness Information 
|
On the 10th of November 2011, a helicopter of the type EC-130 collided with the mountainous terrain near Pukoo, Hawaii (Island of Molokai). The aircraft was being operated by Blue Hawaiian Helicopters and took of from the Kahului Airport (PHOG).
As there was no air traffic radar surveillance or flight-data of the aircraft, iwi® interviewed four eye-witnesses to reconstruct the flight-path. The images above show the reconstructed flight path and the analysis of the eye-witnesses. Follow us on LinkedIn - #iwiation
Published Report
|
|
NTSB - West Windsor - USA
AS355 - Accident, 2012 Flight Path Reconstruction based on Radar Data and Eyewitness Statements 
|
On September 15, 2012, about 1200 eastern daylight time, an Aerospatiale AS 355F1, N58020, operated by Analar Corporation, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain following an in-flight separation near West Windsor, New Jersey.
The NTSB report describes following situation: “During cruise flight, witnesses on the ground reported hearing a grinding or popping noise, which was followed by the separation of the yellow main rotor blade.” The NTSB determines the probable cause to be: “The disconnection of the upper rod end from the fore/aft servo due to severely worn threads, which resulted in a loss of control and separation of the main rotor blade during cruise flight.” The iwi reconstruction resulted a flightpath corresponding with the provided radar-data of the helicopter. This was reconstructed based on three witness interviews. In addition, the observation from one of the witnesses, that the helicopter lost one of its main-rotor blades, could be confirmed, as some rotor debris were found 780 feet away from the main wreckage. Follow us on LinkedIn - #iwiation
Published Report
|
|
NTSB - Cave Creek - USA EC135 - Accident, 2010 Flight Path Reconstruction based on Radar Data and Eyewitness Statements 
|
On 14th February 2010, an EC135 lost control and impacted terrain near Cave Creek, Arizona, USA. Based on radar data information, the helicopter flew at about 2000 feet above ground level. Several witnesses on ground stated that they heard popping / banging noises and saw parts separate from the helicopter. The helicopter impacted a river wash after it circled and dropped vertically.
The iwi® methodology was applied to reconstruct the missing flight path between last radar recording and impact location using five witness statements. The NTSB determined the cause of the accident as: “The sudden and inadvertent lowering of the collective to near the lower stop, followed by a simultaneous movement of the collective back up and the cyclic control to a nearly full-aft position, which resulted in the main rotor disc diverging from its normal plane of rotation and striking the tail rotor drive shaft and culminated in a loss of control and subsequent impact with terrain. Contributing to the accident was absence of proper cockpit discipline from the pilot.” Follow us on LinkedIn - #iwiation
Published Report
|
|
BFU - Bremgarten GERMANY AK-3 & C42 B (UL) Mid-Air Accident, 2009 Flight Path Reconstruction based on Radar Data & Pilots-View Visualization 
|
On the 24th of August 2009, two airplanes of the type YAK-3 and YAK-9 flew in formation in the pattern to perform a low pass at Bremgarten. The ultralight C42 B was meanwhile approaching the airport for landing at the grass runway. The YAK-3 and the ultralight plane collided. The left side of the YAK-3’s wing hit the ultralight’s right wing. Both YAK planes managed to land, but the ultralight crashed close to the runway. Eyewitnesses observed the crash of the ultralight and saw that the rescue parachute did not fully open.
The iwi® methodology was applied by the BFU, using the available eye-witness information to reconstruct the flight path of the ultralight. The methodology allowed the representation of virtual eyewitnesses and enabled a quick and clear analysis of how the results of several testimonies related to each other. Based on the radar data of both YAK aircrafts and the reconstructed flight path of the ultralight, all three pilot's perspectives could be visualised, supporting the pilots view analysis of the midair accident scenario. Follow us on LinkedIn - #iwiation
Published Report
|
|
BFU - Neuhausen GERMANY Ultralight Aircraft Accident, 2009 Flight path reconstruction based on eyewitness statements 
|
Ultralight Aircraft Accident2009, Airfield Neuhausen ob Eck, Germany, BFU.
On the 3rd of October 2009, shortly after take-off, a microlight aircraft crashed 160m north from the runway into a hangar at the Airfield in Neuhausen ob Eck in Germany. The wreckage burned out and the flight path was unknown. Therefore, the flight-data had to be reconstructed using iwi®. On site several witnesses had been interviewed together with BFU and local police. Images were taken at the position of the witnesses and the observed flight path was marked in each picture (T0 – First observed location, T2 – Last observed location, T1 – Observed location between T0 and T2). The flight-path could be reconstructed with the iwi® methodology based on the interview information of the witness that were nearby to the hangar and of the airfield’s tower personal. The application of iwi® successfully showed its capabilities to reconstruct flight path information based on eyewitnesses. Further we can see the advantage by documenting eyewitness information in form of images with the marked witness information in the report. A picture is worth a thousand words! Follow us on LinkedIn - #iwiation
Published Report
|