Good news from the hospital: All six occupants of the helicopter that burned out in Pramet (Upper Austria) have now been able to leave the hospital, including the seriously injured air rescuer. Meanwhile, the Armed Forces Aircraft Accident Commission is at the scene of the accident to clarify why the helicopter overturned and caught fire.
After the accident with an army helicopter on Thursday evening near Pramet (Ried/Innkreis district), the last of the six injured people was released from hospital on Friday. Shortly before 8 p.m., the Agusta Bell 212 helicopter had an accident and burned out after a stopover. The crew was able to leave the plane in time, but was taken to hospital. Five soldiers were able to leave the hospital that evening and one air rescuer had to stay overnight for observation.
The helicopter completely burned out
According to the Ministry of Defense, the helicopter took off from Hörsching near Linz for training purposes shortly before 7 p.m. and flew towards Wels. The crew practiced landing on open ground and landed in the Pramet/Feitzing area without any problems, according to the military.
The helicopter probably stalled and fell over during take-off. Immediately afterwards the machine caught fire. The six occupants were able to free themselves from the helicopter in time.
The Commission must clarify the cause
The Air Accident Commission was on site on Friday and began an investigation. A final report will be presented within twelve months. Before the burned plane can be removed, the Air Accident Commission must give its approval, the Defense Department said.
Since the crash site is close to a well and water protection area, contamination of the soil may make it necessary to excavate the affected area, which will be clarified with the responsible authority.
The aircraft was under maintenance
The affected helicopter had an operational time of 6,277 hours before the night flight. The last maintenance took place between October 4 and 10. The so-called “Midlife Update” (MLU) was carried out in Italy from April 2015 to April 2016, as was the case for the entire Agusta Bell fleet from 2013 to 2016, the ministry continued. The focus was on adapting the cockpit to modern display equipment and ensuring the safety and continued usability of the system. The MLU extended the lifespan of this helicopter by 25 years. This helicopter would have had a lifespan until 2041.
Source: Krone
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