According to the spokesman for Podkarpacie firefighters, senior brigadier Marcin Betleja, the accident occurred near Malawa, where the Robinson R44 helicopter crashed.
As a result of a disaster two people died. There were 11 fire brigades from the Rzeszów district, both voluntary and state, on site, which extinguished the fire and secured the scene of the incident.
An example of a Robinson R44 helicopter
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Jafni Johari / Shutterstock
Firefighters also searched the area around the wreck to make sure there were no other people nearby. The spokesman emphasized that the services are carefully checking the area to exclude the presence of additional victims.
The causes and circumstances of the helicopter crash will be investigated by the police and the State Commission for the Investigation of Aircraft Accidents. The services have already started activities aimed at determining what led to the tragedy.
Helicopter accident near Rzeszów. Robinson R44 – machine description
The Robinson R44 helicopter is a light, four-seat helicopter produced by the American company Robinson Helicopter Company since the early 1990s. Its first flight took place on March 31, 1990, and serial production began in 1993 after obtaining certification.
The R44 is a monomotor design — it is powered by a Lycoming O-540 piston engine — and has a cabin that can accommodate a pilot and three passengers. It has a semi-rigid main rotor with two blades, a tail rotor also with two blades and supports in the form of land skis.
Thanks to its design and character, the R44 quickly gained a reputation in the aviation world as a versatile and relatively cheap to operate helicopter — suitable for passenger transport, tourism, training, aerial work, patrol and observation applications.
Since 1999, the R44 has consistently been the best-selling helicopter in the general aviation segment – making it one of the most popular civil helicopters in the world.
