A critical flying control component was unnecessarily removed during an inspection say the NTSB and when refitted, the fasteners were not lock-wired with fatal consequences.
Incomplete Maintenance Leads to Fatal Collective Control Loss on B407 Read Post »
A collision during apron works at Stavanger. A skipped risk assessment by airport/contractors, misleading concrete barriers and confirmation bias. Highlights the fallacy of over reliance on safety reporting.
S-92A Collision with Obstacle while Taxying Read Post »
A combination of thermal load from a dark colour scheme and moisture caused a disbond on an RCAF CC150 Polaris (A310) elevator.
Elevator Failure: Moisture + Heat Read Post »
David Marquet describes a technique developed while CO of the nuclear submarine USS Santa Fe, to reduce errors and increase mindfulness during critical tasks.
Deliberate Action: A Mindful Method from the Nuclear Navy Read Post »
The UK Airprox Board discuss interesting Human Factors (HF) aspects to an airprox off Aberdeen, Scotland involving two North Sea offshore helicopters in Feb 2017.
North Sea S-92A Helicopter Airprox Feb 2017 Read Post »
Accident investigators comment on human factors that influenced a KA200 flypast, caught on video, which turned disastrously wrong in Iceland. Amazingly one person survived the impact.
Impromptu Flypast Leads to Disaster Read Post »
We examine the safety performance for the main European aviation sectors, described in the EASA ASR for 2017. The latest edition further extends the provision of safety risk portfolios through the addition of aerodromes/ground handling and ATM/ANS portfolios, bringing the total number of analysed aviation domains to 13.
EASA Annual Safety Review 2017 Published Read Post »
Fatigue was identified as a significant contributing factor leading to the perception error that resulted in an engine failure on a RCAF Sea King during training.
Perception and Fatigue: RCAF CH124 Sea King Engine Failure Read Post »
Hover taxying into a hangar to avoid a weather front may have been a dubious decision. But trying to hover taxy out when there was no urgency proved disastrous.
Hazardous Hangar Hovertaxi Read Post »
We look at health monitoring, both oil debris and HUMS/VHM, in light of the EC225 LN-OJF accident investigation.
Super Puma Epicyclic Gear Health Monitoring Background Read Post »
We look at HSAC data on GOM ops in 2016. A decline in helicopter usage continues but there were no air accidents. This was only the 4th fatality-free year in 33. 2017 is not as rosy.
Helicopter Ops and Safety – Gulf Of Mexico 2016 Update Read Post »
You may only have 5 seconds or so between the eye detecting an aircraft head-on and impact. The UK Airprox Board highlight 6 lessons from past airproxes/MACs.
Avoiding Mid Air Collisions: 5 Seconds to Impact Read Post »
A case study of a pathological safety culture. Management and peer pressure, compounded by poor contracting and scheduling by a cruise line resulted in high risk flights in poor weather.
All Aboard CFIT: Alaskan Sightseeing Fatal Flight and Safety Culture Read Post »
Safety investigators discuss the associated maintenance human factors and inadequacies in the type’s maintenance instructions.
Maintenance Human Factors in Finnish F406 Landing Gear Collapse Read Post »
Under customer induced time pressures, a pilot undergoing type conversion missed a unique type specific action that was not explicitly allocated to either PF or PM.
Strictly Scheduled: S-92A Start-Up Incident Read Post »
We report from the third HeliOffshore Conference and AGM on deepening commitment and collaboration to improve offshore helicopter safety.
Deepening Delivery: HeliOffshore 2017 Conference Report Read Post »
A business jet was written off after dropping 9,000ft after an A380 wake vortex encounter resulted in a loss of control say the BFU.
BFU Report on Dramatic Challenger Wake Vortex Accident Read Post »
A loose fuel tank cover on a motor yacht was blown free by a landing helicopter’s rotor downwash, struck the rotor, resulting in a water impact.
FOD and an AS350B3 Accident Landing on a Yacht in Bergen Read Post »
Bell Helicopter issues an ASB but it takes 6 months for an ‘Emergency’ AD and compliance by the operator. However, critical damage was missed.
Bell 429 TR Pitch Change Link Bearing Failure Read Post »
Pressure (human factors but not hydraulic!), changes of plan, distractions and skipped checklists all feature in this ground collision.
Ground Collision Under Pressure: Challenger vs ATV: 1-0 Read Post »
An AW139 helicopter made a precautionary ditching off Abu Dhabi on 29 April 2017 after loss of drive to the MGB cooling fan.
AW139 A6-AWN Ditching off UAE, 29 April 2017 Read Post »
In light of the LN-OJF investigation (and the earlier G-REDL accident) we look at this Critical Part in more detail.
Super Puma Second Stage Planet Gear Background Read Post »
A low time on type crew, an out of limits tailwind and a demanding airport all conspire in this fatal Challenger CL-600 accident.
Unstabilised Approach Accident at Aspen Read Post »
EASA is tightening the regulation of safety-critical aeronautical navigation databases from Jan 2019 (topically after concerns were raised by the Irish AAIU after an S-92A accident).
EASA Decisions on Management of Aeronautical Databases / Part-DAT Read Post »
The undetected failure of a TR pitch change bearing resulted in a horrific winching accident in Taiwan, in which two people died. We delve into the ASC’s final report (only published in full in Chinese).
AS365N3 Tail Rotor Pitch Control Loss During Hoisting Read Post »
