On 12 January 2021, flying over a snowy mountain environment near Monte Renoso and in strong winds, a helicopter pilot knew he was in trouble and decided to attempt an emergency landing on a safe spot.
He managed to touch ground and the helicopter rolled over.
Thanks to the thick layer of snow that softened the landing, the passenger and pilot were safe and sound.
The 406 ELT was automatically triggered on impact and was the first and only means of alert.
The French MCC received a distress signal from the Hugues 300 helicopter, at first from the French MEOLUT, at 13:06:46.
Sent automatically to the French Aeronautical SPOC, ARCC Lyon, this initial information was followed up at 13:07:37 by a beacon alert message containing an estimate of the independent location of the aircraft.
Having a confirmed position, ARCC Lyon transmitted the data about the helicopter and its location to the SAR units in Corsica, in the Mediterranean, while the signals were still being sent.
The pilot and passenger, meanwhile, managed to get out of the aircraft and decided to walk in the snow in the direction of the village in order to find a phone signal to call for rescue.
In coordination with the ARCC Lyon, a rescue helicopter from French “Sécurité Civile” was tasked one hour after the first alert and sent to the given location with a team of mountain rescuers (PGHM d’Ajaccio/Corse).
The wreck was found empty.
An hour and a half after the crash, the two survivors found a phone signal and provided their current position, where the rescuers picked them up.
Thanks to the 406 ELT beacon, which transmitted the signal received by the MEO satellites constellation, and to the confirmed position being sent rapidly, the SAR operation was a success and two lives were saved.
As a general piece of advice, unless you have a very good reason to move away from the crash site, staying in the vicinity of the wreck for at least a couple of hours may help you to be found faster; noting that the new MEOSAR system allows an accurate alert to be transmitted to SAR services in under 10 minutes, SAR units are typically ready to start responding in less than an hour, and are also able to receive the homing signal transmitted by the beacon.
Read more here (in French):
https://france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr/corse/meteo-helicoptere-atterrit-catastrophe-au-pied-du-monte-renoso-1914468.html
https://www.facebook.com/gendarmeriedecorse/posts/1281781535535332
