Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport: "Cause of Dokdo Helicopter Crash Was Flight Illusion"

Investigation Results of the Fire Agency Helicopter Crash Accident at Dokdo Sea

An investigation has concluded that the cause of the 2019 Dokdo maritime Fire Agency helicopter crash was due to the 'pilot's spatial disorientation.'

Front fuselage of the aircraft wreckage at the time of the accident. (Provided by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport)

On the 6th, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board announced the results of the investigation into the Dokdo maritime Fire Agency helicopter crash containing this information. The investigation board, in cooperation with the French accident investigation authority (BEA), conducted a four-year investigation including analysis of the aircraft's black box and disassembly inspection of the airframe and engine, ultimately reaching a final judgment on the cause of the accident.

The board analyzed the main cause of this crash as spatial disorientation (flight illusion). Spatial disorientation refers to a phenomenon where the pilot cannot accurately perceive the aircraft's speed, altitude, and attitude due to visual or other physical illusions.

The helicopter involved in the accident took off from the Dokdo helipad, passed over Dokdo's steep slope, transitioning from a bright area to a very dark maritime environment, and the pilot failed to recognize the aircraft's attitude changes, leading to the crash.

The board also explained that an additional cause of the accident was the pilot's mistaken belief during takeoff that the captain was using 'go-around mode (automatic takeoff),' which led to misinterpreting the descending aircraft state as an ascending attitude during acceleration.

During the process of increasing the helicopter's speed, the captain continuously pushed the control stick, mistakenly believing the descending aircraft was ascending, which also disabled the automatic flight control system.

Furthermore, the absence of a pre-takeoff briefing and possible visual illusions caused by various lights were also mentioned as causes of the accident.

Accordingly, the investigation board decided to include a total of nine safety recommendations in the final investigation report, addressed to the Fire Agency, the National Police Agency, and the helicopter manufacturer, including measures to prevent crew fatigue, strengthening flight illusion training, periodic night flight training, and automatic flight control system training.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.