FAA Steps Up Enforcement of Laser Penalties
Source: FAA, 17-May-12
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has directed its investigators and staff to pursue stiffer penalties for individuals who purposefully point laser devices at aircraft. “Shining a laser at an airplane is not a laughing matter. It’s dangerous for both pilots and passengers, and we will not tolerate it,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “We [...]
HAI FAASTeam Regional Safety Seminar, Texas
Source: HAI, 16-May-12
HAI and the FAA Safety Team (FAASTeam) present a two-day safety seminar, June 1-2, 2012, in Irving, Texas. The target audiences on the first day are commercial helicopter operators and pilots, and the target audiences for the second day are General Aviation helicopter pilots, certified helicopter flight instructors, and helicopter student pilots. For more information and to register, click here.
16-May-12 XA-UKL Bell 206B Jerez, Mexico
16-May-12
Crashed from low level during take-off and ended up on its starboard side within the police compound. Press statement said it was a mechanical issue. Pilot named as Víctor Ojeda Esqueda and passengers were Secretary of Public Security Jesús Pinto Ortiz and director of the State Preventive Police, Víctor Manuel Bosques. All three to hospital. [...]
Bond AS332s and EC225s take to the air again
Source: Bond Aviation Group, 15-May-12
Bond Offshore Helicopters Ltd., one of the UK’s leading providers of energy support services announced the resumption of flights following the release of important data from Eurocopter. The full fleet of helicopters will return to service over the next 24 hrs. Bill Munro, Managing Director of Bond Offshore Helicopters said, “Bond puts safety first, above [...]
Helicopter Safety Steering Group meets over North Sea EC225 ditching
Source: Oil & Gas UK, 15-May-12
The Helicopter Safety Steering Group (HSSG) met today, Monday 14 May, to share preliminary information on the recent helicopter ditching incident in the North Sea. Making up the HSSG are helicopter operators, oil and gas operators and contractors, offshore trade unions, the pilots’ union BALPA, the regulators HSE and CAA and Oil & Gas UK. [...]
UK – Instructor denies charge of false representing student skills in flight test
Source: HeliHub.com, 15-May-12
Iain King, of Wetherby, appeared at York Crown Court on Monday where he denied making false representations to procure a private pilot’s licence for Mr Spencer, who was flying the helicopter. (see press story). This relates to the accident of Gazelle YU-HEW on 26 January 2008 which resulted in the fatal injuries of the pilot [...]
Bond EC225 ditching – AAIB report consistent with Bond analysis
Source: Bond Aviation Group, 15-May-12
Bond Offshore Helicopters Ltd., one of the UK’s leading providers of energy support services concur with the initial findings of the AAIB interim Service Bulletin S2/2012 issued which indicates component failure. The bulletin states that, “An initial visual inspection of the main gearbox has identified a 360° circumferential crack on the bevel gear vertical shaft, [...]
14-May-12 N557XS CHR Safari České Budějovice, Czech Republic
14-May-12
Helicopter appears to have descended vertically to impact point – no skid-marks near site. Accident killed 72-year old pilot and his passenger. Helicopter caught fire on landing and the two fatalities were found in the wreckage by firemen after they put out the blaze.
14-May-12 N903CH Sikorsky S58T Forestsville, US-Pennsylvania
14-May-12
Precautionary landing due to low visibility
10-May-12 G-REDW Eurocopter EC225 off Aberdeen, UK
Source: Bond Offshore Helicopters, 11-May-12
Controlled ditching in North Sea and all 14 on board into liferafts and later rescued. The helicopter remained upright on its emergency floats. Flight number was “Bond 88R”
Bond issue statement on North Sea ditching
Source: Bond Aviation Group, 11-May-12
Bond Offshore Helicopters Ltd, one of the UK’s leading providers of energy support services reports that at 12.13h today an Eurocopter EC225 helicopter (registration G-REDW) outbound from Aberdeen going to the Ensco102 Maersk Resilient platform made a controlled descent 24 nautical miles off-shore. The Captain and Co-pilot made the controlled descent and landed on the [...]
Bond Air Services issues notice regarding its EC135 grounding
Source: Bond Air Services, 10-May-12
Bond Air Services, the UK’s largest independent emergency and mission critical helicopter operator providing air ambulance helicopter services, police and marine support to offshore wind farms and lighthouses, will resume flight operations of the EC 135 fleet at 07:00 on 9th May. Bond Air Services took the decision to suspend all flight operations for the [...]
FAA criticized over whistleblower safety concerns
Source: HAI, 10-May-12
In an unusual public rebuke, the FAA’s Office of Special Counsel said in letters to the White House and Congress that it lagged in responding to urgent safety problems, with the administration not following through on promised corrections in five of seven whistleblower cases. Special Counsel Carolyn Lerner claims there is a pattern dating at [...]
10-May-12 N7523S Robinson R44 San Mateo, US-New Mexico
10-May-12
Unknown circumstances led to landing on Mount Taylor where pilot activated the ELT and both occupants walked away to raise the alarm. Pilot Jareb Mirczak of Nevada and passenger Sean Mossing of Carson City. Level of damage not clear, although State Police report refers to “wreckage”
Jharkhand Chief Minister out of danger after A109C accident
Source: HeliHub.com, 09-May-12
This news item is part of the accident data provided by HeliHub.com on this site. Information provided in this update may potentially be incomplete or inaccurate as we frequently post these stories only a very short time after the accident has occurred. Users of HeliHub.com are advised to carry out their own checks and searches, [...]
Some UK and Spanish EC135s grounded temporarily
Source: HeliHub.com, 09-May-12
Four weeks ago, Eurocopter issued an AD regarding the main rotor hub of the EC135 after a crack was found. This was an “ordinary AD” as far as those of us in the industry are concerned, and there was a schedule of actions which need to be taken by operators just like there normally is. [...]
Police AW119 down in Brazil, 8 killed
Source: HeliHub.com, 09-May-12
This news item is part of the accident data provided by HeliHub.com on this site. Information provided in this update may potentially be incomplete or inaccurate as we frequently post these stories only a very short time after the accident has occurred. Users of HeliHub.com are advised to carry out their own checks and searches, [...]
09-May-12 N1069Z Bell 206B Flora, US-Indiana
09-May-12
Crashed into a wheat field during agricultural operations. Pilot named as Brian Townsend
09-May-12 Mil Mi-17 Mazamari, Peru (1F)
09-May-12
After experiencing some blade damage in flight, an emergency landing was made. The impact killed pilot Rodolfo León Gavilán. The other 18 on board survived. The police had been engaged on an anti-drug trafficking mission.
