AgustaWestland AW109SP crash near Emirates Palace Hotel Heliport, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

The AW109 was to fly a VIP charter from the Emirates Palace Hotel to Al Marmoum Farm. No passenger names, numbers or weights were provided when the flight was booked; the crew were later told six passengers would be aboard. Boarding was handled by VIP security without crew supervision, and the safety pilot was prevented from observing the cabin. Hovering over sloping ground, an over-torque warning sounded; the captain lowered the collective slightly then increased power, a second over-torque warning followed and rotor speed decayed rapidly. The aircraft descended and struck a road between the two final approach and take-off areas. The investigation determined the cause was attempting take-off above the approved maximum weight, contributed to by the crew's failure to obtain the passenger information needed to keep the flight within limits, their failure to control boarding or act when the permitted number was exceeded, and the operator's lack of policy addressing the risks of VIP operations.