Dusk Duck: Birdstrike During Air Ambulance Flight
Bird strike in cruise at 1,500 ft AGL at dusk.
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Urgent Exit Required: A Helideck Incident
An offshore helicopter almost hit a vessel’s superstructure during an immediate departure when on the verge of a dynamic rollover. We look at the value of HMS repeater lights.
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CHC S-92A Offshore Landing Obstacle Strike: CENIPA Report
A desire for a PICUS to perform a landing to gain experience resulted in a sub-optimal approach direction being selected.
CHC S-92A Offshore Landing Obstacle Strike: CENIPA Report Read Post »
After Landing this HEMS Helicopter Suddenly Started to Slide Towards it’s Hangar…
We look at why a HEMS helicopter suddenly started to move while on an elevated hospital helipad…
After Landing this HEMS Helicopter Suddenly Started to Slide Towards it’s Hangar… Read Post »
Fatal GOM B407 Offshore Take Off Accident: Safety, Helideck & SAR / Emergency Response Questions
The NTSB Preliminary Report is issued on what was the second RLC accident in 2 weeks.
Blinded by Light, Spanish Customs AS365 Crashed During Night-time Hot Pursuit
A helicopter contracted by Spanish customs hit the sea at night when descending to intercept smugglers. The sensor operator in the cabin died.
Blinded by Light, Spanish Customs AS365 Crashed During Night-time Hot Pursuit Read Post »
HESLO EC135 LOC-I & Water Impact: Hook Confusion after Personnel Change
An accident while delivering underslung cargo to a ship provides lessons on rigging loads and organising ground parties.
HESLO EC135 LOC-I & Water Impact: Hook Confusion after Personnel Change Read Post »
Dornier 328-100 Crossed Apron During Runway Excursion
Fortuitously no aircraft were struck as this Do328 TP left the runway, crossed the airport apron and stopped 3 m from the boundary fence by a hangar. The AIB report identifies a PCU failure but focuses on the crew response rather than the PCU defect.
Dornier 328-100 Crossed Apron During Runway Excursion Read Post »
Night Mountain Rescue Hoist Training Fatal CFIT
Just days after being granted a SPA.HHO approval a CFIT occurred at night on the operator’s 6th training flight. A reminder that for a Management of Change, your SMS needs to actively manage risk.
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S-61N Accident in Afghanistan: Investigators Focus on Auxiliary Servocylinder
An S-61N contracted by the DoD crashed after a loss of control due to a fatigue failure of a flying control system component.
S-61N Accident in Afghanistan: Investigators Focus on Auxiliary Servocylinder Read Post »
Automation Issues During Night SAR Training – Near CFIT
During a descent during night training crew workload was high, an inappropriate AFCS mode was inadvertently selected and the aircraft pulled up at less than 22ft after a call from the winch operator.
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Main Rotor Blade Certification Anomaly in Fatal Canadian Accident
TSB uncover a difference in interpreting certification requirements applied to retrofit composite blades resulting in an omitted test.
Main Rotor Blade Certification Anomaly in Fatal Canadian Accident Read Post »
Guarding Against a Hoist Cable Cut
A human centred design case study on the human machine interface of hoist/SAR controls following an inadvertent cable cut on an AW139 in Australia.
Guarding Against a Hoist Cable Cut Read Post »
Whiteout During Avalanche Explosive Placement
An avalanche control flight was caught in a whiteout and struck the ground just below an explosive charge they had just dropped to trigger an avalanche…
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Impatience Comes Before a Fatal Fall During HESLO
A refueller, who was a former HESLO loadmaster, becomes impatient with progress, steps in and is lifted to his death.
Impatience Comes Before a Fatal Fall During HESLO Read Post »
Mind the Gap: Hover Taxi Collision
Mind the Gap: Hover Taxi Collision (Bell 206L) On 30 July 2022 a Bell 206L was hover taxiing from the fuel bowser to park at Newman Airport, Western Australia when the main rotor stuck a hangar. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) occurrence brief identifies neither aircraft or operator. They explain that: While lining up with marking aids on the taxiway, the pilot
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Suspected Drone Strike on Helicopter
A S300C suffered a suspected drone strike over North Carolina.
Suspected Drone Strike on Helicopter Read Post »
Double Trouble: An Operator Lost Two Helicopters in the Same Lake in 12 Hours
Double Trouble: An Operator Lost Two Helicopters in the Same Lake in 12 Hours On 26 April 2022 two helicopters of Coastal Air Services, both performing Part-137 aerial application operations, crashed into Lake Apopka, near Oakland, Florida, just 12 hours apart. Accident 1: B206B N206BX At 07:16 Bell 206B N206BX, was being flown by a
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Fire Extinguisher Cover Fenestron FOD
CCTV caught a HEMS FOD event and some bizarre dance moves.
Fire Extinguisher Cover Fenestron FOD Read Post »
Canadian B212 Crash: A Defective Production Process
Remarkable failures in critical parts control resulted in a fatal in-flight break-up.
Canadian B212 Crash: A Defective Production Process Read Post »
Sheriff Super Puma Brownout Accident: NTSB Report
The crew of LA County Sheriff’s Air Rescue 5 encountered a brownout landing to pick up a road accident victim.
Sheriff Super Puma Brownout Accident: NTSB Report Read Post »
Garbage Pilot Becomes Electric Hooker
A change in route gave this HESLO pilot a surprise.
Garbage Pilot Becomes Electric Hooker Read Post »
R66 Loss of Control Investigation Hampered by Lack of Cockpit Video
A severe left roll excursion after the onset of pitch and roll oscillations, which were not arrested by the pilot for undetermined reasons resulted in an in-flight break-up.
R66 Loss of Control Investigation Hampered by Lack of Cockpit Video Read Post »
Fenestron Failure EC130B4 Hawaii
After the onset of vibration, an air tour pilot attempted a precautionary landing but yaw control was lost.
Fenestron Failure EC130B4 Hawaii Read Post »
How One Missing Washer Burnt Out a Boeing 737
During maintenance 6 weeks earlier on a difficult to access nut, a washer fell off before the nut was fitted.
How One Missing Washer Burnt Out a Boeing 737 Read Post »