January 2024

Undetected Cross Connection Maintenance Error Resulted in a DA42 Hard Landing During a Maintenance Check Flight

20 January 2024

Accidents & Incidents, Business Aviation, Design & Certification, Fixed Wing, Human Factors / Performance, Maintenance / Continuing Airworthiness / CAMOs, Safety Management

Wear is found during a check that results in a rare flying control maintenance task, poorly described in the AMM. Its unrecorded and delegated to an apprentice with insufficient supervision. We examine the maintenance human factors involved.

Undetected Cross Connection Maintenance Error Resulted in a DA42 Hard Landing During a Maintenance Check Flight Read Post »

Air Ambulance EC135 Loss of Control & Main Rotor / Engine Overspeeds

6 January 2024

Accidents & Incidents, Helicopters, Human Factors / Performance, Safety Management, Special Mission Aircraft, Survivability / Ditching

An inflight upset, consistent with a SAS/AP CUT, resulted in a rotor overspeed, and reduction of power from both engines

Air Ambulance EC135 Loss of Control & Main Rotor / Engine Overspeeds Read Post »

Police Helicopter Unanticipated Yaw & Fatal Water Impact

1 January 2024

Accidents & Incidents, Helicopters, Human Factors / Performance, Safety Management, Special Mission Aircraft, Survivability / Ditching

LOC-I. TFO died after being trapped after a water impact. NTSB Probable Cause: The helicopter’s encounter with unanticipated right yaw during a low-altitude, low-airspeed, tight-radius orbit.

Police Helicopter Unanticipated Yaw & Fatal Water Impact Read Post »