De-Iced Drama : 737 in Scandinavia During the approach to the Finnish airport of Kittilä on 26 December 2012, Norwegian Air Shuttle‘s Boeing 737-800 LN-DYM came close to stalling as a result of a blocked elevator. The elevator system worked at only 1/250th of the expected effectiveness according to investigators. The Investigation The Accident Investigation Board […]
De-Iced Drama: 737 in Scandinavia Read Post »
Loss of the Alexander Kielland The Norwegian semi-submersible floatel (floating hotel) Alexander L. Kielland capsized on 27 March 1980 when alongside Phillips Ekofisk Edda platform. The Kielland had lost one of its five legs in a severe, but not extreme, gale. At 18:30, a ‘sharp crack’ was heard followed by ‘some kind of trembling’. The floatel heeled over 30° but stabilised,
Loss of the Alexander Kielland Read Post »
Foreign Object Debris (FOD) Damages 737 Flying Controls Accident investigators in New Zealand report on damage to the flying controls of a 737 due to a trapped cleaning cloth. The Incident During routine maintenance of a Boeing 737-838, engineers found metal filings next to the stabilizer trim cable drum in the forward electronics and equipment compartment (located
FOD Damages 737 Flying Controls Read Post »
A320 Unstabilised Approaches: A Descent Below Minimum Safe Altitude (MSA) and a Runway Excursion at Lyon An airline introducing a new type suffers a serious incident while training a new captain, highlighting the importance of Management of Change, Risk Assessment and good Training. UPDATE: Then within a year they have a runway excursion after an unstabilised approach at
A320 Unstabilised Approaches: Descent Below MSA and a Runway Excursion at Lyon Read Post »
North Sea Helicopter Safety – Step Change in Safety Event The offshore industry safety initiative, Step Change in Safety, held a workforce engagement seminar on Helicopter Safety in Aberdeen in early March. The presentations are all available to download (click on the presenter’s name below): HSSG Update – Mark Abbey This presentation on behalf of
North Sea Helicopter Safety – Step Change in Safety Event Read Post »
International Helicopter Safety Team (IHST) Update – March 2015 At the HAI Heli-Exp0 2015 in Orlando, Aerossurance attended the IHST Regional Partners Panel as one of the European representatives. The session featured presentations from different national and regional teams supporting the IHST: Introduction IHST Regional Partner Panel Introductory Slides India Rotary Wing Society of India: The RWSI
IHST Update – March 2015 Read Post »
Operator & FAA Shortcomings in Alaskan B1900 Accident UPDATE 10 April 2018: with details below of further NTSB recommendations after a 2016 C208B accident The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has reported on a Beechcraft 1900C accident on the North Slope of Alaska on 23 Nov 2013. The B1900C was being operated by Hageland Aviation Services (doing
Operator & FAA Shortcomings in Alaskan B1900 Accident Read Post »
An ATR72, abruptly flown at a high RoD triggered multiple TAWS warnings. This incident, 1 of 3 with the same aircraft, highlighted safety underreporting.
Multiple TAWS Warnings Reveal Safety Reporting Issue Read Post »
Xsight’s innovative airport FODetect system captured a nose landing gear collapse on a Beechcraft Queen Air at Tel Aviv Ben Gurion Airport on 27 July 2013.
Nose Gear Collapse Filmed By FOD Detection System (Beechcraft Queen Air 4X-DZY) Read Post »
Technical Records – Component Overun In its February 2015 General Aviation Mandatory Occurrence Report (MOR) Listing, the UK Civil Aviation Authority (UK CAA) summarises an MOR from a twin turboprop operator’s Continuing Airworthiness Management Organisation (CAMO). This MOR is a neat case study on technical record errors and how one CAMO now tries to prevent them. On preparing to send the
Technical Records – Component Overrun Read Post »
French TV AS350 Helicopter Accident in Argentina (UPDATED with final accident report) The mid air collision of two Airbus AS350 (H125) helicopters on 9 March 2015 resulted in the death of all 10 people on board during the filming of a French TV programme, Dropped, for TF1 in Argentina. The accident highlights the importance of risk assessment,
French TV Helicopter Accident in Argentina Read Post »
UK Offshore Helicopter Safety Action Group (OHSAG) Jan 2015 Minutes The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has just published the minutes of the latest, 27 Jan 2015, meeting of the Offshore Helicopter Safety Action Group (OHSAG). The OHSAG was formed as a result of the ‘Civil Aviation Authority Safety Review of Offshore Public Transport Helicopter Operations in Support of
UK OHSAG Jan 2015 Minutes Read Post »
In 2003 a HEMS A109K2 helicopter was lost in a fatal accident in Salt Lake City, UT in poor weather.
Life Flight 6 – US HEMS Accident Read Post »
SNAPpy Action in Norway – The Southern Norway Airspace Project Norwegian Air Navigation Service Provider (ANSP) AVINOR has established the Southern Norway Airspace Project (SNAP), that went live in late 2014. SNAP was established: … to address present and future challenges regarding capacity, safety, environment and effectiveness. SNAP will provide a new airspace organisation, with associated working
SNAPpy Action in Norway – The Southern Norway Airspace Project Read Post »
Flight Crew Incapacitation – Oxygen System Failure The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has published their investigation report on a case of hypoxia in an unpressurised twin turboprop survey aircraft: On 1 August 2014, at about 0935 EST, a Reims Aviation F406 aircraft, registered VH-EYQ, departed Emerald, Queensland, on an aerial survey task with a pilot
Flight Crew Incapacitation – Oxygen System Failure Read Post »
An experimental X-31 was making a routine test flight when disaster struck. NASA produced a unique documentary insight into this accident and its lessons.
Breaking the Chain: X-31 Lessons Learned Read Post »
Dash 8 Tail Strike: Weakness in Stabilised Approach Procedures The Canadian Transportation Safety Board (TSB) has released their final report on a heavy landing and tail strike that occurred to Porter Airlines Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 C-GLQO landing at Sault Ste. Marie Airport on 26 May 2013. The aircraft landed hard and the tail of the aircraft contacted the
Dash 8 Tail Strike: Weakness in Stabilised Approach Procedures Read Post »
Radar for Wave Height Measurement The EnRoute Wave Height Measurement Problem In 2011 Canadian Transportation Safety Board (TSB) issued their investigation into a S-92A accident offshore Canada in 2009, in which 17 people died and one passenger, Robert Decker, survived. Additionally this accident was subject to a public inquiry. The Hon Robert Wells QC’s Offshore Helicopter Safety Inquiry (OSHSI)
Radar for Wave Height Measurement Read Post »
Wait to Weight & Balance – Lessons from a PC-12 Loss of Control On take off, pitch control of a Pilatus PC-12 was lost resulting in a series of pitch oscillations and stall warnings. Fortuitously the pilot was able to abort the take off with only damage to one main wheel. The incident could have been
Wait to Weight & Balance – Lessons from a Loss of Control Read Post »
Aerossurance Joins HeliOffshore HeliOffshore is a global safety-focused organisation formed by major offshore helicopter operators. They state: We enable helicopter operators to develop, share and apply best practices, create and use advanced technology, and advocate for harmonised flight standards. HeliOffshore is dedicated to achieving the highest levels of safety, in the air and on the
Aerossurance Joins HeliOffshore Read Post »
Inadvertent Fire Bottle Discharge During Maintenance The CHIRP Charitable Trust, who run the UK’s Confidential Human Factors Incident Reporting Programme, has reported on an inadvertent fire bottle discharge incident during maintenance in their Air Transport FEEDBACK Issue 113. The Aircraft was on a heavy maintenance input and several teams were busy working in the flight
Inadvertent Fire Bottle Discharge During Maintenance Read Post »
Sea State Forecasting – CHIRP The CHIRP Charitable Trust, who run the UK’s Confidential Human Factors Incident Reporting Programme, today published Air Transport FEEDBACK Issue 113. This included discussion of a report on sea state forecasting in the North Sea. The original report submitted to CHIRP was: Post CAP 1145 [Safety Review Of Offshore Public Transport
Sea State Forecasting – CHIRP Read Post »
NTSB Report on 2013 S-76A++ Tail Rotor Blade Loss The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has reported on a fatal Sikorsky S-76A++ accident to a Gulf Of Mexico offshore helicopter during a post-maintenance check flight of avionics systems. The accident occurred on 15 March 2013 to N574EH, operated by Era Helicopters LLC. The pilot and
NTSB Report on 2013 S-76A++ Tail Rotor Blade Loss Read Post »
Cessna 208B Caravan Ditching Video, Molokai, Hawaii, 2013 We have previously covered the graphic ditching of Sikorsky S-76C 9M-STE (MSN 760398) of MHS Aviation in the South China Sea on 12 December 2013, and a passenger video of the ditching and rescue. Coincidentally, the day before (but in practice a couple of hours later due to the time difference), another ditching occurred, this
Cessna 208B Caravan Ditching Video, Molokai, Hawaii, 2013 Read Post »
UK CAA CAP1145: Update on North Sea Helicopter Safety (CAP1243) Not long after the fatal loss of Eurocopter AS332L2 G-WNSB 1.5 nm west 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. CAP1145 This CAA Review resulted in the CAP1145 report
UK CAA CAP1145: Update on North Sea Helicopter Safety (CAP1243) Read Post »
