An engine overdue for overhaul was refitted and 16 months later failed. The operator was not approved for passenger transport but the company was in financial distress so the pilot and part-owner accepted this charter.
An air ambulance in cruise at c 1,000 ft struck multiple geese, crashing with the loss of 3 lives. At dusk the bird strike risk in that area was ‘severe’ according to USAF modelling, available online as a planning tool.
Deadly Dusk Air Ambulance Bird Strike Read Post »
We question the wisdom of departing a bright, spot lit, landing site to fly over a remote area with little cultural light on a moonless night. We also look at how long it really takes for eyes to acclimatise to total darkness.
Tragic Texan B206B3 CFIT in Dark Night VMC Read Post »
BEA were unable to establish the reason for Loss of Control in the hover. The pilot was suffering from an unreported back condition and the HESLO technique required an awkward body position. BEA make recommendations about wellbeing and personal readiness.
Investigators point to missed opportunities to prevent accidents by collaboratively acting on past safety reports. “The aim should be to process the reports in a coordinated manner so that lessons could be learned…” including sharing between organisations.
An Uncoordinated Fall from an A320 at Helsinki: How Just Reporting is Not Enough Read Post »
We look how a defence contractor was killed during weapons training on a New Mexico range. We also critique the USAF AIB HFACS human factors analysis. A case of ‘What-You-Look-For-Is-What-You-Find’ (WYLFIWYF)?
Friendly Fire: Civilian Shot in the Head During USAF F-16 Training Read Post »
During a mountain rescue a Sécurité Civile EC145 was damaged by loose foliage being recirculated into the main rotor. Afterwards the crew hoist up 4 people and fly two short sectors back to base, exposing 6 people to heightened risk say BEA-E investigators.
Sécurité Civile EC145 Mountain Rescue Blade Strike Read Post »
The AAIB identify weaknesses in maintenance practices relating to flying control cables, an unrelated anomaly that has occurred on a number of Q400s and a weakness in how the Q400 FDR processes data that has been solved only for US operators.
Dash 8 Q400 Control Anomalies: 1 Worn Cable and 1 Mystery Read Post »
After a power loss, this air tour helicopter force landed on a beach. Everyone on board survived a 40 ft/s (12.2 m/s) impact, saved by helicopter design features, but the severity of some injuries may have been less if harnesses were correctly worn.
Hawaiian Air Tour EC130T2 Hard Landing after Power Loss (Part 2 – Survivability) Read Post »
The instructor, confident in his student’s ability, let an exercise proceed outside of RFM recommendations. The aircraft contacted the ground with a 6.1 m/s vertical velocity (20 ft/s).
Swedish SAR AW139 Damaged in Aborted Take-off Training Exercise Read Post »
A confused response to an engine issue earlier in the day, a sudden power loss and a failed autorotation…but crashing into trees was decisive in the two occupants’ survival say NSIA.
Latent Engine Defect Downs R44: NR Dropped to Zero During Autorotation Read Post »
NTSB say that improper maintenance practices resulted in a lack of lubrication and excessive wear on an MLG uplock actuator.
Frozen Dash 8-100 Landing Gear After ‘Improper Maintenance Practices’ Say NTSB Read Post »
Failure to perform the Descent Check during the approach was a key factor for a loss of direction control after landing. This had “become a fairly common practice among crews”.
An offshore helicopter was caught on deck in a thunderstorm. A helideck lightning strike was suspected but the helicopter damage was not spotted until ashore.
Helideck Lightning Strike: Damage Missed Read Post »
The NTSB determined that this air ambulance helicopter accident, which killed 3, was due to a loss of control as a result of fatigue during cruise at night.
Fatal Fatigue: US Night Air Ambulance Helicopter LOC-I Accident Read Post »
BEA identify several contributory factors for a power line inspection crew’s failure to identify a crossing cable before a wire strike.
Crossing Cable Wirestrike Read Post »
A confined HEMS landing site, a backlit but identified low wire, a misdiagnosed routing and mitigating a FOD threat all added to the complexity in this landing.
Hanging on the Telephone… HEMS Wirestrike Read Post »
Degraded gust locks, an omission in familiarisation, a non-specific checklist and inadequate pre-flight checks all feature in this survey aircraft runway excursion.
Gust Lock Gaff: King Air A90 Runway Excursion Read Post »
Continuing airworthiness management: It’s not always better to do more maintenance than the TC Holder recommends. Part 1 of an article that will go on to look at occupant survivability in Part 2.
Hawaiian Air Tour EC130T2 Hard Landing after Power Loss (Part 1) Read Post »
The need to be cautious of hidden debris is highlighted by this NTSB report.
Air Ambulance Helicopter Downed by Fencing FOD Read Post »
There was an inadequate pre-task briefing, and an undersized team. Operations continued as drizzle started in order to use all the mixed concrete. A device that would have increased separation from the live line was on-site but not used.
Shocking Accident: Two Workers Electrocuted During HESLO Read Post »
The BFU investigated how flying controls of a SAR helicopter became disconnected. A nut was reused. Torque was insufficient. Lubrication was applied incorrectly. A cotter pin was likely omitted. The maintenance was also not signed off.
SAR AS365N3 Flying Control Disconnect: BFU Investigation Read Post »
Airbus AS350B2 9N-ALR of Simrik Air, fell from the helipad on top of the 12-storey Grande International Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal, ending on the hospital roof c3 m below.
Air Ambulance Helicopter Fell From Kathmandu Hospital Helipad (Video) Read Post »
An operator’s inadequate oversight of its flights, routine exceedance of Flight Manual limitations and an inadequate regulatory structure for aerobatic ‘experiences’ are highlighted by NTSB.
Too Extreme: Fatal Sky Combat Ace EA300 Aerobatic Accident Read Post »
Newly released data in the NTSB public docket suggests that the accident that killed 7, including coal billionaire Chris Cline, was likely due to a Somatogravic Illusion causing spatial disorientation during the night take off.
NTSB Investigation into AW139 Bahamas Night Take Off Accident Read Post »
