Newly released data in the NTSB public docket suggests that the accident that killed 7, including coal billionaire Chris Cline, was likely due to a Somatogravic Illusion causing spatial disorientation during the night take off.
NTSB Investigation into AW139 Bahamas Night Take Off Accident Read Post »
While on a VFR approach below minima to a mine site there was a loss of visual reference and a Loss of Control – Inflight. The helicopter impacted the water but neither aircraft nor occupants were equipped for sea survival. All 8 POB likely drowned or quickly succumb to hypothermia in 2°C water.
Fatal Mi-8 Loss of Control – Inflight and Water Impact off Svalbard Read Post »
Insufficient fuel, a switch selection error that resulted in both a loss of electrical power and accelerated fuel burn and a distracting breakdown of pilot/medical personnel communication.
Air Ambulance Forced Landing: Fuel and Switch Errors Plus CRM Breakdown Read Post »
This MD500E helicopter crashed moments after entering a hover when the pilot was surprised by geese.
Pilot Goose(d) Surprised and Crashed Read Post »
At night a ground ambulance driver manoeuvred closer not realising the rotor blades were turning. Exactly 6 months earlier a drunk driver had driven into the same helicopter!
Ambulance / Air Ambulance Collision Read Post »
In heavy rain, darkness and with limited visual cues the aircraft briefly drifted just before touch down and a nacelle grazed the runway. ATSB look at why the damage was not detected for several days.
Boeing 737-800 Engine Nacelle Strike and Continued Operation Read Post »
Possible self-induced commercial pressure and task fixation may have been factors in a HESLO accident involving a loss of visual reference at a mountain top site on lift 29 of 30, resulting in spatial disorientation and a partial loss of control say AIB Denmark.
Inadvertent Entry into IMC During Mountaintop HESLO Read Post »
NTSB believe a pilot, distracted during low level single pilot photography, missed the potential for carb icing, resulting in a power loss and stall at low altitude.
Carb Icing Suspected in Fatal Aerial Photography Flight Read Post »
Security surrounding the VP’s travel meant the crew were given little time to consider an ad hoc landing site. They were reassured that a police B412 had landed safely, but they had not been trained in brownout landings and came into a hover…
AW139 Brownout Accident with the Nigerian VP Aboard Read Post »
An in-flight loss of control due to flight crew inattention say NTSB, coupled with a failure to recognize and promptly recover from a stall during a scheduled passenger flight over Alaska.
US Dash 8-100 Stalled and Dropped 5000 ft Over Alaska Read Post »
A pilot flying a Swedish reindeer herding flight attempts to land due to a change in circumstances (the reindeer have emigrated to Norway!) but a high landing site recce fails to detect a telephone cable…
Impromptu Landing – Unseen Cable Read Post »
A HESLO operator moves to keeperless hooks after a 700 kg load was lost during powerline refurbishment in Scotland.
HESLO AS350B2 Dropped Load – Phase Out of Spring-Loaded Keepers for Keeperless Hooks Read Post »
Weaknesses in procedures, training and facilities at a P&W Non Destructive Inspection shop struggling with a backlog of novel Thermal Acoustic Imaging inspections of PW4000 fan blades.
NDI Process Failures Preceded B777 PW4077 Engine FBO Read Post »
After a change in tasking from surveillance to escorting the Governor’s motorcade, this police helicopter climbed and slowed, falling victim to Vortex Ring State (VRS) say the NTSB. While there is much discussed about recovery from VRS, avoidance is even more critical.
Vortex Ring State: Virginia State Police Bell 407 Fatal Accident Read Post »
A lucky escape for an ATR72 after the second unstabilised approach of the day into the same airport as the Commander insists on descending below MDA. After the first the crew decided to inhibit the TAWS as they misdiagnosed a failure. The Commander (PM) fought the controls when the Co-Pilot first tried to go around.
ATR72 Survives Water Impact During Unstabilised Approach Read Post »
This accident begs further questions about the FAA approach to ex-military helicopters and the adequacy of continued airworthiness activity of non-OEM TC Holders.
OH-58C Crash After MRB Fatigue Crack Read Post »
The operator upped the minimum fuel load after this accident once it was realised that high nose up attitudes and fuel tank baffles could result in fuel starvation.
A Baffled Attitude Fuel Starvation Accident Read Post »
After this accident the pilot wisely identified 7 topics for a “pre-flight personal wellness check” to help determine readiness. The NTSB also found the operator’s CRM training omitted fatigue as a topic.
Fatigue Featured in Anchorage Alaska Air Ambulance Accident Read Post »
“An inflight collision with a hard object of polycarbonate construction, with size and features consistent with that of a small UAS (drone)” say NTSB.
Drone / Helicopter Mid Air Collision over LA City Hall ‘Probable’ Say NTSB Read Post »
NTSB say an extra seal, left in a fuel control unit during overhaul 17 years earlier, resulted in an engine flameout in Nevada of a contracted aggressor aircraft.
17 Year Old FOD and a TA-4K Ejection Read Post »
An engine power loss due to contamination in the overhaul shop and wire locking left on a quick release mechanism conspired in this fire-fighting helicopter crash.
Maintenance Issues in Fire-Fighting S-61A Accident Read Post »
High concentrations of biocide in outer tanks resulted in residue jamming fuel controls at low fuel flows, so both engines momentarily dropped below idle of descent.
Japanese Jetstar Boeing 787 GEnx-1B Engine Biocide Serious Incident Read Post »
They say What You Look For is What You Find. Did investigators make that mistake?
Myanmar National Embraer 190 NLG Jam: Maintenance Error? We’re Not Convinced! Read Post »
A low experience pilot waits for the weather to improve but likely suffers from confirmation bias and takes off later in the day on what the AIBN call a “try and see” basis. Video footage from a GoPro showed extremely poor weather during the fatal 5 minute flight.
A Try and See Catastrophe: R44 Accident in Norway in Bad Weather Read Post »
A long delayed NTSB final report points to a series of maintenance standards and competency issues into this incident. Planned rulemaking to solve these was abandoned by FAA after 5 years.
CRJ-200 Landing Incident Highlighted US Maintenance Competency Inadequacies Read Post »
