Bell V-280 Valor Tilt Rotor First Flight
Bell Helicopter made the first flight of their Joint Multi Role Technology Demonstrator (JMR-TD) V-280 Valor tilt rotor on 18 December 2017 in Texas.
Bell V-280 Valor Tilt Rotor First Flight Read Post »
Swedish NH90 CFIT: Pilot Experience and Skating on Frozen Lake
A crew with low experience on type had a lucky escape when they inadvertently descended and struck a frozen lake during an exercise in Norway.
Swedish NH90 CFIT: Pilot Experience and Skating on Frozen Lake Read Post »
Coking Causes Power Loss: Australian AS350BA
Coking in an oil jet resulted in a turbine shaft failure during a low level survey. The emergency landing was handled in a “competent and proficient manner” say ATSB.
Coking Causes Power Loss: Australian AS350BA Read Post »
Unexpected Load: B407 USL / External Cargo Accident in PNG
Miscommunication and poor ground crew briefing resulted in a long-line and load snagging on a B407 at take off causing a crash.
Unexpected Load: B407 USL / External Cargo Accident in PNG Read Post »
Running on Fumes: Fatal Canadian Helicopter Accident
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 »
Irish Coast Guard Select Aerossurance as SAR Aviation Consultancy
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 »
Production Errors on a SAR AW139 Helicopter Full Ice Protection System
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 »
Offshore Helicopter Emergency Response
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 »
Loss of AS332L1 LN-OPG off Brønnøysund, Norway, 8 September 1997
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 »
Mind the Handrail! – Walk-to-Work Helideck Hazard
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 »
Night Offshore Training AS365N3 Accident in India 2015
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 »
Swedish Special Forces SPIES and Military SMS
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 »
Incomplete Maintenance Leads to Fatal Collective Control Loss on B407
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 »
S-92A Collision with Obstacle while Taxying
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 »
Deliberate Action: A Mindful Method from the Nuclear Navy
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 »
North Sea S-92A Helicopter Airprox Feb 2017
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 »
EASA Annual Safety Review 2017 Published
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 »
Perception and Fatigue: RCAF CH124 Sea King Engine Failure
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 »
Hazardous Hangar Hovertaxi
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 »
Super Puma Epicyclic Gear Health Monitoring Background
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 »
Helicopter Ops and Safety – Gulf Of Mexico 2016 Update
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 »
Avoiding Mid Air Collisions: 5 Seconds to Impact
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 »
Strictly Scheduled: S-92A Start-Up Incident
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 »
Deepening Delivery: HeliOffshore 2017 Conference Report
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 Found on an S-92A Flying Control Bracket
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 »