The absence of a policy of landing with a specific minimum fuel quantity was a key factor in a survey helicopter’s loss of power and collision with trees near Whitecourt, AB in 2016.
Running on Fumes: Fatal Canadian Helicopter Accident Read Post »
The IRCG select Aerossurance as their new aviation consultants. The IRCG contract 5 S-92A SAR helicopters.
Irish Coast Guard Select Aerossurance as SAR Aviation Consultancy Read Post »
A catastrophic accident was prevented by the electrical harness. A series of quality issues were found in the FIPS. In particular screws intended for another part of the unit had been fitted and bottomed out leading to a fatigue failure.
Production Errors on a SAR AW139 Helicopter Full Ice Protection System Read Post »
Maintaining an effective emergency response capability is critical to any organisation contracting for helicopter operations in a hostile environment.
Offshore Helicopter Emergency Response Read Post »
This accident and the loss of 12 lives off the coast of Norway in 1997 had far reaching consequences for the use and regulation of helicopter HUMS.
Loss of AS332L1 LN-OPG off Brønnøysund, Norway, 8 September 1997 Read Post »
An offshore helicopter incident highlighted a new hazard as offshore industry practices change. We look at the lessons for companies using both helicopters and walk-to-work vessels to their NUIs.
Mind the Handrail! – Walk-to-Work Helideck Hazard Read Post »
319 seconds to disaster: a high speed impact on approach to a drilling rig off Mumbai. Night offshore ops are 6 times higher risk than daytime ops. We look at the lessons.
Night Offshore Training AS365N3 Accident in India 2015 Read Post »
Safety lessons from a serious incident during a Swedish Special Forces trial of Special Patrol Insertion and Extraction System (SPIES) under a UH-60M helicopter.
Swedish Special Forces SPIES and Military SMS Read Post »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
Corrosion was recently found on a flying control bracket of a 3 year old Australian Sikorsky S-92A masking the attachment bolt torque value.
Corrosion Found on an S-92A Flying Control Bracket 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 »
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 »
