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 […]
Mind the Gap: Hover Taxi Collision Read Post »
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 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
Double Trouble: An Operator Lost Two Helicopters in the Same Lake in 12 Hours Read Post »
CCTV caught a HEMS FOD event and some bizarre dance moves.
Fire Extinguisher Cover Fenestron FOD Read Post »
Remarkable failures in critical parts control resulted in a fatal in-flight break-up.
Canadian B212 Crash: A Defective Production Process Read Post »
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 »
A change in route gave this HESLO pilot a surprise.
Garbage Pilot Becomes Electric Hooker Read Post »
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 »
After the onset of vibration, an air tour pilot attempted a precautionary landing but yaw control was lost.
Fenestron Failure EC130B4 Hawaii Read Post »
A lack of a site survey or a site recce meant a pilot didn’t realise he had passed under a powerline on approach. On departure the cables were noticed just before impact but due to a ‘high-wire illusion’ the pilot reduced the climb and flew into them.
Second Time Unlucky: Fatal Greek Wirestrike High-Wire Illusion Read Post »
This helicopter descended below the intended flight path on approach to a glacier.
Heliski Flat Light Flight into Terrain Read Post »
Investigators focus on the engine in an S-100 UAS loss over the Baltic.
Schiebel Camcopter S-100 Engine Failure Results in Baltic Crash Read Post »
The first loss of control caused the TRDS to be severed by a MR blade strike. Only when slowing for an emergency landing did the crew discover they had lost TR drive.
B212 LOC-I: Windshear Encounter in the Lee of Mountain Ridge Read Post »
An R22 dynamic rollover highlights the risk of being distracted by another task and relying only collective friction while rotors running.
Distracted Dynamic Rollover Read Post »
An R44 pilot pulled off a successful ditching after a maintenance error resulted in the tail rotor assembly departing the helicopter in flight.
R44 Ditched After Loss of TGB & TR: Improper Maintenance Read Post »
A “steep approach” with “little-to-no airspeed” to a riverside landing site lead to VRS and a water impact. One passenger was unable to escape from the sinking helicopter.
Fatal EC130B4 Water Impact in the Tennessee River after “Entry to VRS” Say NTSB Read Post »
A NYPD Bell 429 was damaged while landing in Manhattan.
NYPD B429 Accident at Manhattan Heliport “Overapplication of Flight Controls” Read Post »
Four people died in a mid air collision while two aircraft were making training flights. Investigators dispute the effectiveness of see and avoid.
Limitations of See and Avoid: Four Die in HEMS Helicopter / PA-28 Mid Air Collision Read Post »
A flight nurse reaching for the floor mounted PTT switch resulted in a yaw that exceeded certification requirements. The damage was missed until the next day.
Inadvertent PTT Pedal Input Causes Tail Rotor Tailboom Contact Read Post »
When a pilot became disorientated during a night approach, an S-76A gets into a dangerously low energy state and strikes the sea. Despite two crew, the helicopter was “operated in a manner very little different from a single pilot operation”.
North Sea Helicopter Struck Sea After LOC-I on Approach During Night Shuttling Read Post »
US Air Ambulance AW169 survives birdstrike encounter with Texan Turkey Vulture.
AW169 Birdstrike with a Turkey Vulture Read Post »
An error painting a component, a failure to include a torque check in the maintenance manual and no intervention after an abnormal oil sample all feature in a shocking accident caught on video.
Compressive Creep and the Loss of a UH-1H’s Tail Rotor Read Post »
Research indicates intense commercial pressures, intolerable stress and fatigue, ‘schizophrenic’ simulator sessions and weaponizing of FDM, SMS and ‘fair culture boards’ in a “big brother reality show.” We review a recent paper published in Safety Science.
We discuss the key points from this year’s HeliOffshore conference in Portugal. HeliOffshore is the global collaborative safety association for the offshore helicopter industry.
HeliOffshore 2022 Conference Review Read Post »
The pilot recounts a FOD event in-flight while flying the media over the violent ‘Emerald Triangle’ of illegal marijuana plantations in Northern California.
Loose Clothing Downs Marijuana Survey Helicopter Read Post »
