14-Nov-2011Source: NTSB
At the request of the Mexican Government, the NTSB is sending a team of investigators to assist in their investigation of Friday’s crash of an Aerospatiale AS 332L Super Puma. On November 11, 2011, about 0845 local time, the Eurocopter, enroute from Camp Marte, Mexico to Cuernavaca, Morelos, crashed in a rural area south of... Read more
12-Nov-2011Source: FAA
In preparation for the upcoming winter storm season, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt are convening a Forum on Wednesday, November 30 to find better ways to manage aircraft diversions. Participants in the forum will review a series of proposed steps to improve travel for passengers who are diverted from their... Read more
12-Nov-2011Source: NTSB
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) today announced the preliminary agenda for a two-day Public Aircraft Oversight Safety Forum which will begin at 9:00 a.m., Wednesday, November 30, 2011 and continue through Thursday, December 1st. NTSB Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman will chair the forum and all five Board Members will participate. The forum is open... Read more
11-Nov-2011Source: HeliHub.com
Successful sightseeing operator Blue Hawaiian Helicopters suffered a fatal accident on the island of Molokai on Thursday. Having taken off from Kahului on Maui island, the 45 minute tour. Molokai is a mostly rural island with about 7,000 resident population. The tourists, two male and two female, were from Pennsylvania and Ontario according to local... Read more
11-Nov-2011Source: HFI
The Helicopter Foundation International is pleased to be accepting applications for The Michelle North Scholarship for Safety – a scholarship specifically geared towards promoting safety within the helicopter industry. One winner will be selected from all qualified applicants and he or she will be invited to join us at HELI-EXPO 2012 in Dallas, Texas. The... Read more
10-Nov-2011Source: HeliFlite
ARGUS recognizes HeliFlite’s ongoing commitment to safety by renewing their Platinum Safety Rating through 2012. “It is great to see operations like HeliFlite, who acknowledge the importance of building an organization focused around safety and quality, maintain the ARGUS Platinum Ratingâ€, said ARGUS President and CEO, Joseph Moeggenberg. “HeliFlite should be proud to be one... Read more
10-Nov-2011Source: FAA
Supercedes AD 2003-22-06. Tail rotor pitch control rod... Read more
8-Nov-2011Source: CNN
A 60-year-old woman on Sunday became the third person to die as a result of a helicopter crash last month in New York’s East River, said a spokeswoman for the city’s medical examiner’s office. (see full story)... Read more
7-Nov-2011Source: NTSB
This is the text from the Preliminary Report. By its very nature, the details are subject to change and should not be relied upon. The Final Report for this incident will be issued in due course:- On October 29, 2011, about 2009 Alaska daylight time (ADT), a Eurocopter AS350-B2 helicopter, N165EH, sustained substantial damage during... Read more
7-Nov-2011Source: NTSB
This is the text from the Preliminary Report. By its very nature, the details are subject to change and should not be relied upon. The Final Report for this incident will be issued in due course:- On October 27, 2011, about 1440 Pacific daylight time, a McDonnell Douglas MD-500D helicopter, N61PJ, was substantially damaged during... Read more
4-Nov-2011Source: FAA
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Aviation Administration 14 CFR Part 39 [Docket No. FAA-2011-1188; Directorate Identifier 2008-SW-46-AD] RIN 2120-AA64 Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc. (Bell) Model 204B, 205A, 205A-1, 205B, and 212 Helicopters Preamble Information AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT. ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM). ———————————————————————– SUMMARY: This document proposes superseding four existing airworthiness... Read more
4-Nov-2011Source: FAA
Certain main rotor blade assemblies... Read more
3-Nov-2011Source: HeliHub.com
Following a recent incident to the first Guimbal G2 Cabri in the UK, Helicopteres Guimbal has issued the following statement via HeliHub.com:- We at Helicopteres Guimbal are saddened to announce that two days after receiving its Certificate of Airworthiness from the CAA, the first Cabri in the UK had an incident that will delay its... Read more
2-Nov-2011Source: Global Aerospace
Global Aerospace, Inc., a leading provider of aerospace insurance products and services, has introduced a new poster series as part of its ongoing commitment to fostering greater safety among its customers and the aviation community at large. The posters were revealed at the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) Annual Meeting & Convention in Las Vegas... Read more
1-Nov-2011Source: Economic Times
Helicopters in Mumbai fly too close to the surface for comfort. Against a recommended altitude of 1,000 ft above the tallest building in an area (obstruction level), they fly at 500-700 ft from obstruction level and sometimes come as low as the height of the buildings. (see full story)... Read more
1-Nov-2011Source: HFI
The Helicopter Foundation International is pleased to accept applications for The Michelle North Scholarship for Safety – a scholarship specifically geared to promote safety within the helicopter industry. One winner will be selected from all qualified applicants and he or she will be invited to join us at HELI-EXPO 2012 in Dallas, Texas. This scholarship... Read more
29-Oct-2011
The pilot had left Nome on Saturday and refueled in Unalakleet and Bethel – and had planned to spend the night in Iliamna before flying on to Anchorage on Sunday. Pilot later named as 66-year-old William Zeman. Reported as “crashed and burned”... Read more
28-Oct-2011Source: NTSB
This is the text from the Factual Report, the contents of which are the responsibility of the NTSB. As this is not the Final Report, the details are subject to change and should not be relied upon:- On October 15, 2011, at 1933 UTC, a Bell 412SP, YV0126, registered to and operated by Electrificacion del... Read more
28-Oct-2011Source: NTSB
This is the text from the Preliminary Report. By its very nature, the details are subject to change and should not be relied upon. The Final Report for this incident will be issued in due course:- On October 4, 2011, approximately 1250 central daylight time, N3925A, a Eurocopter EC120B, sustained substantial damage while making a... Read more
28-Oct-2011Source: NTSB
This is the text from the Preliminary Report. By its very nature, the details are subject to change and should not be relied upon. The Final Report for this incident will be issued in due course:- On October 4, 2011, at 1525 eastern daylight time, a Bell 206B, N63Q, registered to a private owner, crashed... Read more
28-Oct-2011Source: FAA
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Aviation Administration 14 CFR Part 39 [Docket No. FAA-2011-1115; Directorate Identifier 2010-SW-011-AD] RIN 2120-AA64 Airworthiness Directives; Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (Sikorsky) Model S-92A Helicopters Preamble Information AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT. ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM). ———————————————————————– SUMMARY: This document proposes adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the Sikorsky Model... Read more
28-Oct-2011Source: FAA
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Aviation Administration 14 CFR Part 39 [Docket No. FAA-2011-1113; Directorate Identifier 2009-SW-53-AD] RIN 2120-AA64 Airworthiness Directives; Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (Sikorsky) Model S-92A Helicopters Preamble Information AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT. ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM). ———————————————————————– SUMMARY: This document proposes adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the Sikorsky Model... Read more
28-Oct-2011Source: FAA
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Aviation Administration 14 CFR Part 39 [Docket No. FAA-2010-0517; Directorate Identifier 2009-SW-73-AD] RIN 2120-AA64 Airworthiness Directives; Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation Model S- 76A Helicopters Preamble Information AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT. ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM). ———————————————————————– SUMMARY: This document proposes adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the Sikorsky Aircraft... Read more
27-Oct-2011Source: Miami Herald
Plaintiffs’ attorneys say Stratford, Conn.-based Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. reached agreements this week with relatives of at least five victims who died and with the crash’s lone survivor. (see full story)... Read more
27-Oct-2011Source: IHST
Aviation authorities from more than a dozen countries from across the globe will offer their perspectives on safety at the Fifth Annual International Helicopter Safety Symposium, taking place in Fort Worth, Texas from Nov. 8-9, 2011. The theme of the symposium will be Human Factors: our Collective Challenge – Our Individual Responsibility. The event is a... Read more
27-Oct-2011Source: FAA
Washington, D.C. – In a continuing effort to combat the growing problem of lasers directed at aircraft, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has created a new website to make it easier for pilots and the public to report laser incidents and obtain information on the subject, FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt announced today. The website, which... Read more
27-Oct-2011Source: Nordic Rotors
The Swedish Accident Investigation Board (Statens Haverikommission, SHK) has published its final report after an accident that occurred on 9 January 2009 near Arlanda Airport in Stockholm, involving a helicopter with the registration SE-JKF. The aircraft, a 144 hour young Eurocopter AS 350 B3, was about to land at the airport to pick up passengers for... Read more
27-Oct-2011Source: Night Flight Concepts
Night Flight Concepts announced today at the “Laser Illumination of Aircraft Conference, a Growing Threat†a new suite of products, Laser ArmorTM. These new optical systems for laser defense offer equipment and training options to help aviation organizations defend against laser attacks. Laser Armor™ aids in the planning and implementation of a coordinated response that... Read more
27-Oct-2011Source: FAASTeam
The Road Trip – You walk in on Monday morning and your boss informs you of an engine problem on an airplane recently maintained by your shop. The customer was traveling over the weekend and got stranded just a few hours away. After several phone calls and some verbal troubleshooting, you determine it will be... Read more
27-Oct-2011Source: FAA
Tail boom outer skin panels... Read more
27-Oct-2011Source: FAA
Upper end fitting ball joints of the main rotor servocontrols... Read more
27-Oct-2011Source: FAA
Side mounting of pilot and co pilot seats... Read more
27-Oct-2011Source: FAA
Rotorcraft Flight Manual, Limitations section... Read more
25-Oct-2011
The Dhruv crash near Ranchi that killed three crew members has prompted the BSF to revisit an old question: Is Pawan Hans Helicopters Ltd capable of flying and maintaining choppers that are being used for anti-Maoist operations in Jharkhand? (see full story)... Read more
24-Oct-2011Source: TOPS
Hillsboro Aviation’s Mt. St. Helens tour operation was unanimously elected to join the helicopter Tour Operators Program of Safety (TOPS) by the TOPS Board at their meeting Oct. 14 in San Diego. “We’re thrilled to welcome Hillsboro to TOPS and commend their commitment to helicopter tour operation safety,†said TOPS Chair Tim Cudney. “Choosing to... Read more
24-Oct-2011Source: HeliHub.com
In 2009 EASA published their proposed operation and equipment rules, and many pilots submitted responses.  EASA have listened to those comments and to the recommendations of the NCO Review Group , and have now published their proposed rules.   The resulting text (after the changes) of the revised ops rules for non commercial light aircraft and... Read more
24-Oct-2011Source: NTSB
On October 1, 2011, about 1255 mountain daylight time, a Robinson Helicopter, R66, N266CY, was substantially damaged during an in-flight breakup while in cruise flight near Philip, South Dakota. The private pilot, the sole occupant, was fatally injured. The helicopter was registered to and operated by P P & J LLC., of Gillette, Wyoming. Visual... Read more
21-Oct-2011
Dhruv helicopters, used by paramilitary forces, have been grounded after a Border Security Force (BSF) chopper crashed on the outskirts of Ranchi Wednesday, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Inspector General of Police DK Pandey said on Thursday. (Full story) HeliHub.com page for this accident – 19-Oct-11 VT-BSH HAL Dhruv Ranchi, India (3F)... Read more
21-Oct-2011
The U.S. Coast Guard has brought criminal charges against the sole survivor of a 2010 helicopter crash in which three people from Air Station Sitka died. Lieutenant Lance Leone is facing possible court martial for negligence and the death of two of his crewmates — all violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, and... Read more
20-Oct-2011Source: Air Evac Lifeteam
NORTH Flight Data Systems LLC is pleased to announce it has entered into an agreement with Air Evac Lifeteam to partner together to develop a flight data recording system for the analog Bell 206 platform in a continuing effort to invest in safety through Flight Operations Quality Assurance (FOQA). NORTH Flight’s C-2000 system is a... Read more
20-Oct-2011Source: Air Evac Lifeteam
Air Evac Lifeteam, the largest independently-owned air ambulance service in the country, has entered the second level of the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Safety Management System Voluntary Pilot Project, further bolstering the company’s commitment to safety and risk management.Air Evac Lifeteam Director of Safety Dave Hardin explained that Air Evac Lifeteam’s voluntary participation in the... Read more
20-Oct-2011
Post maintenance engine runs following routine engine washes. The collective control was not lowered during the start sequence and subsequently the rotorcraft unintentionally became airborne a few feet and drifted to the right as the rotor speed increased. CADAORS 2011A0961... Read more
19-Oct-2011Source: HeliHub.com
Pilots: Are you landing too close? Do you really have a good idea of the radius of your downwash effect? With three accidents in the last week attributed to downwash effects, this is a timely opportunity to remind pilots of the effects. Each of these reports are taken from our Accident report pages 17-Oct-11 Agusta-Bell... Read more
19-Oct-2011Source: American Eurocopter
American Eurocopter is proud to announce that the Flight For Life Transport System has won the 2011 Vision Zero Aviation Safety Award. As part of the award, American Eurocopter presented the program with a check for $10,000 to continue its efforts towards safety both within the organization and with its customers During the AMTC Community... Read more
18-Oct-2011Source: FAA
Vertical Stabilizer Control System tube adaptors... Read more
16-Oct-2011Source: US Dept of Interior
DOI aviation safety and aircraft mishap prevention is based on the philosophy that all aircraft mishaps can be prevented and that mishap prevention is an inherent function of any position. Zero aircraft accidents is every professional’s goal regardless of any barriers. Improved aviation safety reduces cost, saves lives, and drives efficiencies across all of our... Read more
16-Oct-2011Source: IHST
Aviation experts from the U.S. Navy and the Federal Aviation Administration will be highlighted speakers at the fifth annual International Helicopter Safety Symposium taking place in Fort Worth, Texas, on Nov. 8-9. The theme of the symposium will be Human Factors: our Collective Challenge – Our Individual Responsibility. The event is a gathering of helicopter... Read more
15-Oct-2011Source: US DoD
An insurgent-fired rocket-propelled grenade was the primary cause of an Aug. 6 CH-47 helicopter crash in Afghanistan that killed 38 U.S. and Afghan forces, a U.S. Central Command investigation confirmed. Centcom officials released the results of the investigation yesterday. The investigation confirmed that the RPG, fired by a Taliban fighter, struck the helicopter’s aft rotor... Read more
14-Oct-2011Source: AAIB
The monthly bulletin from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been released. This month’s issue covers the accidents of:- MD 900 Explorer, G-SASH at Leeds-Bradford on 11th June 2011 Eurocopter EC225 LP Super Puma, G-REDU on North Sea rig on 18th February 2009... Read more
14-Oct-2011
During take-off phase, pilot Andres Navarro Haeussler made sudden and very heavy landing on taxiway, causing damage to the aircraft. Pilot and passenger unhurt. Skids splayed out, tail ended up touching the ground... Read more
12-Oct-2011Source: Night Flight Concepts
Night Flight Concepts, a leading provider of night vision solutions to aviation organizations worldwide, announced it will participate in the upcoming event “Laser Illumination of Aircraft: a Growing Threat†to help raise awareness of this growing issue in aviation and to showcase solutions that can help mitigate the risks associated with voluntary and involuntary laser... Read more
10-Oct-2011Source: HeliHub.com
Turkish police have detained 16 people, including 13 military officers (11 active, 2 retired from duty), as part of an investigation into a helicopter crash that killed a politician. President Abdullah Gul has voiced suspicion about the circumstances of the crash after two components, including the flight recorder went missing following the March 2009 accident... Read more
9-Oct-2011Source: HAI
Mark your calendars and make plans to attend the HAI Government Contracting Committee meeting and HAI Helicopter Firefighting Safety Forum in Boise, Idaho on Nov. 14, 15 & 16. Meetings will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn Boise Spectrum. Attendees should contact the hotel directly to make a room reservation. The HAI Government Contracting... Read more
7-Oct-2011Source: HAI
On Oct. 4, 2011, HAI and the FAA Safety Team (FAASTeam) presented a morning and afternoon helicopter safety seminar at the Hilton Kansas City Airport, in Kansas City, Mo. Participants included representatives from many HEMS operators as well as ENG and local law enforcement aviation. Stan Rose, HAI’s Director of Safety, updated the group on... Read more
6-Oct-2011Source: NTSB
The National Transportation Safety Board is offering two investigative courses and one transportation disaster response course over the next two months at its training center just outside Washington, D.C. The two-day AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION FOR AVIATION PROFESSIONALS course (Oct 26-27) provides participants with an overview of how the Safety Board investigates major aircraft accidents and... Read more
4-Oct-2011Source: HeliHub.com
Follow the HeliHub.com reports at the page for this accident – 04-Oct-11 Bell 206 New York, US-New York (1F) [File Photo] William P Johnson – HeliHub.com... Read more
4-Oct-2011Source: HeliHub.com
HeliHub.com is having increasing success with its “Gallery†feature, recording over 8,000 images in its main Gallery, and around 190 photographers have joined as members of the Gallery. The Flickr gallery provides users of HeliHub.com the opportunity to upload their own photos, and the early success is demonstrating just how valuable this will become over... Read more
4-Oct-2011Source: HeliHub.com
The team at HeliHub.com provide a record of as many helicopter accidents and incidents as we can. Inevitably this includes what we believe to be the full list of fatal helicopter accidents, and we are presenting here the summary for September 2011. We indicate the number of fatalities in the summary line with the number... Read more
4-Oct-2011Source: CHC
Nestling on a remote headland on the western coast of Australia, Exmouth is the latest base to be added to the CHC Australia portfolio and acts as an EC225 operating base in support of two offshore installations. The base is home to only six personnel who rotate in for two weeks on and two weeks... Read more
3-Oct-2011Source: HeliHub.com
A second fatal accident has been reported to a Robinson R66. User “kylesampson” posted the following message on an online forum – “I’m not a pilot I just wanted to get this out there. My wifes uncle just died in a R66 in South Dakota. Anyone who has one better wait and see what happens... Read more
3-Oct-2011Source: IHST
In February 2010, the IHST Helicopter Flight Data Monitoring (HFDM) Working Group began a project to provide guidance to the industry to develop a base set of HFDM events. Research found that HFDM event sets – a collection of programmed events used to detect unsafe practices in flight operations –were readily available for fixed-wing aircraft.... Read more
1-Oct-2011Source: HeliHub.com
Here’s an interesting, and impactful story of the US legal system proving an amateur-built helicopter was both incorrectly registered and violated certain airworthiness regulations. The potential exists for the details of this case to be felt wider in the future. See NTSB statement and comment from Reigel Law Firm. Actual accident referred to was N75EW... Read more
1-Oct-2011Source: Air Drone
Mundus Group, Inc. subsidiary Air Drone’s Justin Chapman wrote in 2010 the FAA Manual for movie industry safety and standardization of operational regulations and compliance for UAV VTOL cinematography delivery systems. Justin Chapman has become well known in the RC Remote Controlled helicopter world — winning more than 50 RC helicopter contests. Mr. Chapman’s aerial... Read more
29-Sep-2011Source: IHST
Aviation experts from around the world will gather at the International Helicopter Safety Symposium taking place in Fort Worth, Texas, on Nov. 8-9. The theme of the fifth annual symposium for the worldwide helicopter industry will be Human Factors: Our Collective Challenge – Our Individual Responsibility. The event is a gathering of helicopter operators, manufacturers,... Read more
29-Sep-2011Source: FAA
Actions to be taken when a generator is deactivated... Read more
25-Sep-2011Source: HeliHub.com
Kevin Kelly, spoke this week for the Communications Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada – which represents some Newfoundland offshore workers – and called for the Sikorsky S92 to be replaced in offshore service. Kelly works on the Hibernia oil platform east of St. John’s, and was reacting to the 20th September issue with a... Read more
21-Sep-2011Source: RLC
RLC, the largest privately-held helicopter operator in the Gulf of Mexico, today announced that RLC’s Santa Maria, California Base Operations has received PXP’s California Offshore Safety Excellence Award for 2010. This award, which was announced at the 6th Annual PXP Vendor and Contractor Safety Conference, recognizes vendors and contractors who have met the highest levels... Read more
21-Sep-2011Source: RLC
RLC, the largest privately-held helicopter operator in the Gulf of Mexico, today announced it has earned the Helicopter Association International’s (HAI) 2010 Operator Safety Award. This coveted honor is bestowed upon helicopter operators who operated without accident in the previous year. HAI acknowledged RLC for its outstanding 2010 safety record of 72,000+ accident-free flight hours.... Read more
21-Sep-2011Source: HeliHub.com
Following an extensive search operation involving a significant number of both military and civil assets, a missing AS350B1 has been found in British Columbia. The sole occupant pilot was found deceased. The helicopter had been reported missing on Friday, and was found late Tuesday this week by a pilot from Wildcat Helicopters who was on... Read more
20-Sep-2011Source: HeliHub.com
There has been a fatal accident of a Bell AH-1W at Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton in California, killing both occupants. The HeliHub.com page for this accident is at 19-Sep-11 Bell AH-1W Camp Pendleton, US-California (2F)... Read more