March 2016

US Police Helicopter Night CFIT: Is Your Journey Really Necessary?

Accidents & Incidents, Crises / Emergency Response / SAR, Helicopters, Human Factors / Performance, Safety Culture, Safety Management, Special Mission Aircraft

US Police Helicopter Night CFIT: Is Your Journey Really Necessary? On 27 March 2014, at 0147 local time, ex-military Bell OH-58A, N497E, operated by, the Kern County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) collided with terrain near Tehachapi, California.  The three occupants were uninjured, although the helicopter was substantially damaged. The Accident and Investigation The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) […]

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Solent Hoegh Osaka Car Carrier Accident

Accidents & Incidents, Human Factors / Performance, Safety Culture, Safety Management

Solent Hoegh Osaka Car Carrier Accident The Singapore registered 180m, 51,770 gross tonnage ‘pure car and truck carrier’ (PCTC) MV Hoegh Osaka, managed by Wallem Shipmanagement Pte Ltd, developed a significant starboard list when turning to port while departing Southampton on 3 January 2015. The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) say in their recent report: As the list increased

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Marine Pilot Transfer Winching Accident

Accidents & Incidents, Helicopters, Offshore, Safety Management, Special Mission Aircraft

Marine Pilot Transfer Winching Accident (Brim Aviation AW109SP N361CR) During a night Marine Pilot Transfer (MPT) helicopter winching / hoist operation on 21 April 2014, the marine pilot being transferred, was injured. The marine pilot was being transferred from an outgoing ship to a container vessel, inbound to Astoria, Oregon, the 222 m, 27,437 gross ton  MV Northern

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AAIB Report on 2013 Sumburgh Helicopter Accident (CHC Scotia AS332L2 G-WNSB)

Accidents & Incidents, Crises / Emergency Response / SAR, FDM / Data Recorders, Helicopters, Human Factors / Performance, Offshore, Oil & Gas / IOGP / Energy, Safety Management, Survivability / Ditching

AAIB Report on 2013 Sumburgh Helicopter Accident (CHC Scotia AS332L2 G-WNSB) The UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has published its report into the 23 August 2013 accident were CHC Scotia Airbus Helicopters AS332L2 Super Puma G-WNSB impacted the sea on approach to Sumburgh Airport in the Shetland Islands.  The AAIB report is 266 pages long.  This article is

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Germanwings: Psychiatry, Suicide and Safety

Accidents & Incidents, Fixed Wing, Human Factors / Performance, Regulation, Safety Culture, Safety Management

Germanwings: Psychiatry, Suicide and Safety The French Bureau d’Enquêtes et d’Analyses (BEA) has issued their report into the loss of Germanwings Airbus A320 D-AIPX and 150 lives in the French Alps on 24 March 2015, which was due to the actions of the Co-Pilot.  Below we focus on the highlights from the 110 page report. The Co-Pilot

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Heli-Expo 2016

Step Change in Safety: Helicopter Safety Update 2016

Accidents & Incidents, Helicopters, Human Factors / Performance, Logistics, Offshore, Oil & Gas / IOGP / Energy, Safety Management, Survivability / Ditching

Step Change in Safety: Helicopter Safety Update 2016 Step Change in Safety held a webinar on North Sea helicopter safety (covering CA-EBS, emergency egress, FCOMs and airworthiness matters) on 9 March 2016 (following on from a March 2015 event we have previously covered). Introduction Step Change is a tripartite UK offshore health and safety organisation combining companies,

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Shell Pernis 11.2t Ethylene Oxide Leak

Accidents & Incidents, Crises / Emergency Response / SAR, Oil & Gas / IOGP / Energy, Safety Management

Shell Pernis 11.2t Ethylene Oxide Leak The Dutch Safety Board has reported (in Dutch) on the leak of 11.2 tonnes of ethylene oxide from a overhead pipe at the 550 hectare Shell Pernis oil refinery on 30 December 2013. The leak was detected by a site worker at what is Europe’s largest refinery, surrounded by 500,000 inhabitants. Ethylene oxide is

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Forgotten Fasteners – Serious Incidents

Accidents & Incidents, Fixed Wing, Human Factors / Performance, Maintenance / Continuing Airworthiness / CAMOs, Safety Management, Special Mission Aircraft

Forgotten Fasteners – Serious Incidents We examine three incidents where fasteners were forgotten during maintenance.  It two cases these maintenance errors resulted in parts falling from the aircraft.  In a third, a massive fuel leak occurred. Incident 1 – Twin Otter Mission Pod The Irish Air Accident Investigation Unit (AAIU) has recently reported on a

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Heli-Expo 2016 Photo Report

Accidents & Incidents, Business Aviation, Design & Certification, FDM / Data Recorders, Helicopters, Military / Defence, Mining / Resource Sector, News, Offshore, Oil & Gas / IOGP / Energy, Special Mission Aircraft, Survivability / Ditching

Heli-Expo 2016 Photo Report News from HAI Heli-Expo 2016 in Louisville, Kentucky (1-3 March 2016): Airbus Helicopters H215 Airbus Helicopters had on show the newly designated H215, formerly the AS332C1e (i.e. an enhanced, short fuselage Super Puma) and AS332L1e (the long fuselage version), to be built in Romania and aimed at aerial work, disaster relief and other

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