UK CAA issue their second update following the Feb 2014 CAP1145 report (‘Safety review of offshore public transport helicopter operations in support of the exploitation of oil and gas’).
UK CAA CAP1145: 2nd Update on North Sea Helicopter Safety (CAP1386) Read Post »
The use of excessive reverse thrust resulted in loss of direction control, but noticeably there was a significant delay to the evacuation (which took 17 minutes to complete).
Delta MD-88 Accident at La Guardia 5 March 2015 Read Post »
The scathing Haddon-Cave Report triggered changes in regulation and how air safety was managed in the UK military.
Loss of RAF Nimrod MR2 XV230 and the Haddon-Cave Review Read Post »
An EU aviation research project has recently investigated the concepts of organisational safety intelligence and executive safety wisdom by interviewing 16 senior industry executives.
Safety Intelligence & Safety Wisdom Read Post »
The UK Military Aviation Authority has issued changes to their design regulations to integrate EMAR 21 (the European Military Airworthiness Requirement Part 21) concepts into the MAA Regulatory Publications (MRP).
UK MAA Issue RA 5800 Series Type Airworthiness Engineering Regulations Read Post »
TSB has issued their report into a fuel exhaustion accident involving Beechcraft King Air 100 in 2013. The accident highlights important human factors, competence and regulatory oversight issues.
Canadian KA100 Fuel Exhaustion Accident Read Post »
A US fatal accident with an ex-Korean Hawk, operated by a defence contractor, highlights some of the issues of civil use of ex-military aircraft.
Yuma Hawk Accident: Lessons on Ex-Military Aircraft Operation Read Post »
Investigators uncovered mods, maintenance, training, W&B and briefing discrepancies. Highlights importance of mindful contracting for air services.
Fatal Flaws in Canadian Medevac Service Read Post »
EASA Annual Safety Review 2016 Published The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Annual Safety Review for 2016 is now available. In the introduction EASA say: The Review has been published since 2005 and the content of the document continues to evolve. Safety Risk Portfolios are now provided for 10 different operational domains. For the first time
EASA Annual Safety Review 2016 Published Read Post »
The operator had insufficient resources to effectively manage safety say TSB. The regulator had concerns but its approach did not ensure timely rectification.
HEMS Black Hole Accident: “Organisational, Regulatory and Oversight Deficiencies” Read Post »
EASA Are On the Move! New EASA HQ The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) open for business on 6 June 2016 in a new office at: Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3 D-50668 Cologne, Germany The new building, in the shadow of the Dom, has the neoclassical frontage of a building originally built in 1913 as a railway headquarters. Other
EASA Are On the Move! New EASA HQ Read Post »
We report from the second HeliOffshore Conference and AGM on commitment and collaboration to improve offshore helicopter safety.
Offshore Helicopter Safety Performance: 2016 HeliOffshore Conference Report Read Post »
This accident had major lessons on the management of maintenance/maintenance errors, dangerous goods handling and regulatory behaviour.
ValuJet Flight 592: 11 May 1996 Read Post »
During night winch training a German HEMS BK117 suffered a fatal CFIT in the Baltic, highlighting readiness, equipment, procedural and training issues.
Night Offshore Windfarm HEMS Winch Training CFIT (BK117C1 D-HDRJ) Read Post »
A319 Double Cowling Loss and Fire – AAIB Safety Recommendation Update The UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has issued an update on responses to their safety recommendations from their investigation into British Airways Airbus A319 G-EUOE. G-EUOE, powered by IAE V2500s, lost both engine fan cowlings and suffered an associated fire on take-off from London Heathrow
A319 Double Cowling Loss and Fire – AAIB Safety Recommendation Update Read Post »
Fatigued Flight Test Crew Crosswind Accident The Icelandic Transportation Safety Board (ITSB), the RNSA, recently issued their report into a wheels up runway excursion accident that occurred on 21 July 2013 to Sukhoi RRJ-95B ‘Superjet 100’ 97005 during flight tests by Sukhoi at Keflavik airport. The Flight Test Objective and the Accident Flight The purpose of
Fatigued Flight Test Crew Superjet 100 Crosswind Accident Read Post »
Germanwings: Psychiatry, Suicide and Safety The French Bureau d’Enquêtes et d’Analyses (BEA) has issued their report into the loss of Germanwings Airbus A320 D-AIPX and 150 lives in the French Alps on 24 March 2015, which was due to the actions of the Co-Pilot. Below we focus on the highlights from the 110 page report. The Co-Pilot
Germanwings: Psychiatry, Suicide and Safety Read Post »
On 12 Mar 2009 17 people lost their lives in a preventable accident when the failure of an oil filter stud highlighted a known fatal flaw in the type’s design.
2009 Newfoundland S-92A C-GZCH Accident: A Failure of Design and Certification Read Post »
UK CAA CAP1145 North Sea Helicopter Safety Two Years On Not long after the fatal loss of Eurocopter AS332L2 G-WNSB of Sumburgh Airport, Shetland Islands on 23 August 2013 with 4 fatalities (AAIB Special Bulletin), the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) launched an rapid review on offshore helicopter safety. That CAA Review resulted in the CAP1145 report (‘Safety review of
UK CAA CAP1145 North Sea Helicopter Safety Two Years On Read Post »
EASA and Ejection Seat Certification The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) have issued a series of Certification Review Items (CRIs) for proposed Special Conditions and Equivalent Levels of Safety for a Part 23 ejection seat equipped tandem two-seat trainer aircraft to be certified in the Normal and Acrobatic categories. The CRIs consist of: CRI 102 Special
EASA and Ejection Seat Certification Read Post »
Takata have been the centre of fatal air bag failures and millions of vehicle recalls. We look at the recommendations of a US panel reviewing their quality.
Airbag Explosions: Independent Takata Corp QA Panel (‘Skinner Panel’) Reports Read Post »
US HEMS Accident Rates 2006-2015 The safety of US Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) operations has been a topic we have discussed previously. With HeliExpo approaching, when 10 years of the International Helicopter Safety Team (IHST) will be marked and with US NTSB Board Member Robert Sumwalt just publishing a HEMS article in Professional Pilot,
US HEMS Accident Rates 2006-2015 Read Post »
An ATSB report on a fatal man overboard incident questions if blindly valuing compliance may create a culture that actually undermines safety.
Culpable Culture of Compliance? Read Post »
Ignoring Corrosive Environment Brings Down B206 Helicopter An operator that ignored the Rolls-Royce M250-C20 Series Engine Operation and Maintenance Manual classification of their entire island operating location as a “severe corrosion operating environment” and failed to do the associated maintenance requirements suffered the loss of the their Bell 206B3. Emerald Pacific Airlines B206B3 B-31019 was hovering at
Ignoring Corrosive Environment Brings Down B206 Helicopter Read Post »
CAP1145 Helicopter Water Impact Survivability Statistics – A Critique Eurocopter AS332L2 G-WNSB impacted the sea 1.5 nm west of Sumburgh Airport, Shetland Islands on 23 August 2013 (see the last AAIB Special Bulletin) with the loss of 4 lives. https://youtu.be/C_3xlunGUk0 Within weeks the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) ordered a hurried safety review. This resulted in the CAP1145 report (‘Safety review of offshore public transport
CAP1145 Helicopter Water Impact Survivability Statistics – A Critique Read Post »
