An offshore medevac accident that highlights considering the changing risk of an individual flight, flight path management in degrading conditions and offshore survivability in a ‘regulatory void’.
BK117 Offshore Medevac CFIT & Survivability Issues Read Post »
The single pilot was head down as the sun set correcting tech log entries. The helicopter struck trees on a mountain top then force landed in woodland.
EC135 Air Ambulance CFIT when Pilot Distracted Correcting Tech Log Errors Read Post »
An offshore border surveillance P68C suffered two engine power loss failure modes in quick succession. One may have been sabotage.
Double Trouble: Offshore Surveillance P68 Forced to Glide Read Post »
The longline wrapped around the tail rotor during a 3 minute flight to refuel.
HESLO AS350 Fatal Accident Positioning with an Unloaded Long Line Read Post »
The NTSB Preliminary Report is issued on what was the second RLC accident in 2 weeks.
A helicopter contracted by Spanish customs hit the sea at night when descending to intercept smugglers. The sensor operator in the cabin died.
Blinded by Light, Spanish Customs AS365 Crashed During Night-time Hot Pursuit Read Post »
An avalanche control flight was caught in a whiteout and struck the ground just below an explosive charge they had just dropped to trigger an avalanche…
Whiteout During Avalanche Explosive Placement 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 »
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 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 »
LOC-I on a low, slow downwind leg lead to a water impact. The front crew both became fatally trapped. Shortcomings in equipment and training were identified.
Dutch Maritime NH90 Caribbean Accident: Focus on the Survivability Issues Read Post »
The hazard of flat light is its insidious nature. Even when visibility is good and the horizon is visible, a loss of depth perception may go undetected by the pilot.
Canadian Flat Light CFIT Read Post »
A TCM Rescuer fell from 50 ft into the sea when commencing a night hoist currency training when there was a failure to connect the hoist hook to their harness. We look at the safety investigation recommendations.
TCM’s Fall from SAR AW139 Doorway While Commencing Night Hoist Training Read Post »
A 1.1 t load was moved to pylon 151, just the wrong pylon 151. A gust caught the helicopter at the worst moment, just as the longline became taut.
Dynamic Rollover During HESLO at Gusty Mountain Site Read Post »
Reflective observations from a pilot after an accident while conducting external load operations from a research vessel off the coast of Alaska.
Ditching after Blade Strike During HESLO from a Ship Read Post »
Limited availability of data discouraged practical training in a specific emergency procedure, say TAIC.
Training Weaknesses Feature in Fatal MD600N Accident Read Post »
In a thunderstorm, this 737 hydroplaned after an unstable approach. NTSB comment on PF’s plan continuation bias and the PM’s lack of experience. The FAA has issued further guidance on calculating landing lengths and imposed a fine on an MRO who had conducted defective work on rafts and slides.
NTSB Report on Miami Air International Jacksonville B737-800 Runway Excursion Read Post »
While officially no cause was determined, the contributory factors identified and safety recommendations imply the investigators suspect a fast approach and a sudden pitch up to reduce speed as the helideck came into view in reduced visibility. Disappointingly, after one failed attempt, neither the wreckage nor recorders were recovered.
Loss of Bell 412 off Brazil Remains Unexplained Read Post »
An accident that highlights the benefit of practical emergency drills and careful consideration of survivability issues.
AS350B3 Ditching Japan Read Post »
Pressing on in bad weather this helicopter descended during an over sea transit to stay in VMC but ultimately impacted the water as visibility deteriorated further.
BK117 Impacts Sea, Scud Running off PNG Read Post »
A Loss of Control – Inflight during a downwind approach to a busy remote landing site. The helicopter crashed in a difficult to access gully and caught fire. It took almost 10 hours for survivors to reach hospital. Five of the 7 occupants died.
Grand Canyon Air Tour Tragic Tailwind Landing Accident Read Post »
Distracted by radio calls and with a poor split of duties the fire-fighting flight crew missed their high descent rate during their third attempt to uplift water. After the water impact there were survivability issues and one of the crew was unable to escape underwater.
Korean Kamov Ka-32T Fire-Fighting Water Impact and Underwater Egress Fatal Accident Read Post »
A decline in GOM helicopter usage continues, especially in single engine helicopters. There were two fatal accidents in 2019.
Helicopter Ops and Safety – Gulf Of Mexico 2019 Update Read Post »
LOC-I on a low, slow downwind leg. The survivors had not trained with the specific AEA in place. The front crew both became trapped.
NH90 Caribbean Loss of Control – Inflight, Water Impact and Survivability Issues Read Post »
