Robinson R44 accident near Nyons, Fr, September 3, 2012
On September 3, 2012 at about 8:45 am local time, a Robinson R44 (helicopter), registered ECIVT, was destroyed in an accident near Nyons. It was a personal flight under non-U.S. private rules. 2 people were killed.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 3, 2012 · about 8:45 am local time
- Place
- Nyons, France · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Robinson R44 UNDESIGNAT · all R44s on the register
- Registration
- ECIVT · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · non-U.S. private rules
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On September 3, 2012, about 0845 UTC, a Robinson R44 helicopter, Spanish registration EC-IVT, was destroyed when while in level cruise it departed controlled flight and impacted in mountainous terrain near Nyons, France. The pilot and a passenger on board the helicopter were fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The foreign, non-scheduled personal flight had departed Clermont Ferrand Auvergne, France and was en route to Le Luc Le Cannet, France. According to information provided by the Bureau d’Enquetes et d’Analyses, the helicopter was in level cruise flight about 1,500 feet agl in a mountainous area and at 110 knots when it encountered severe turbulence, departed controlled flight and impacted terrain. This investigation is under the jurisdiction of the government of France. Any further information regarding the investigation can be obtained from the French BEA at: Bureau d’Enquetes et d’Analyses pour la Securite de l'Aviation Civile Zone Sud – Batiment 153 200 rue de Paris Aeroport du Borget F-93352 Le Bourget Cedex France Telephone: +33 1 49 92 72 00 Facsimile: +33 1 49 92 72 03 web: www.bea.aero
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: LFLC Clermont-Ferran
- Destination: LFMC Le Luc
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Wind: from 350° at 21 knots, gusting 31
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 8:30 am from LFMO, 22 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.