Safety Experts Join PRISM Helicopter and Business Aviation Team
Source: ARGUS International, Inc., 24-May-13
Professional Resources In System Management, LLC (PRISM) is pleased to welcome Calvin Rieb as the Helicopter Aviation Services Program Manager and Jenna Albrecht as the Safety Analyst for Business Aviation. The addition of Rieb and Albrecht comes as the company experiences growth and demand for their helicopter and business aviation Safety Management System (SMS) solutions, [...]
Bristow – EC225 situation will last another year or more
Source: HeliHub.com, 23-May-13
From Bristow’s latest financial statements comes this quote Recently, Eurocopter, the manufacturer of the EC225 Super Puma aircraft, has indicated that they have determined the root causes of the gear shaft failure in the EC225, which are being reviewed by airworthiness authorities and independent third parties. The definitive solution to the problem will be a [...]
23-May-13 PNB-8302 Eurocopter Bo105 Caracas, Venezuela (5F)
23-May-13
Crashed in low visibility while chasing a vehicle containing two hostages
23-May-13 G-XXEB Sikorsky S76C++ Denham, UK
23-May-13
Precautionary landing after technical issue with VVIPs on board -Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall
Air Methods Reaches Highest Level in FAA’s Safety Management System Program
Source: Air Methods, 21-May-13
Air Methods Corporation (Nasdaq: AIRM), the global leader in air medical transportation, recently was informed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that it successfully reached the highest level (Level 4) of the FAA’s voluntary Safety Management System (SMS) program. The SMS program is an organizational framework created and implemented by the FAA to systematically guide,track, [...]
20-May-13 HB-ZFY Eurocopter EC120 St Tropez, France
20-May-13
Crashed on a football pitch with the tail boom having been cut off. Substantially damaged
18-May-13 Robinson R22 Wilmington, US-North Carolina
18-May-13
Emergency landing for “engine issues”
17-May-13 Virginia Beach, US-Virginia (2F)
17-May-13
Two members of the FBI’s ultra-elite Hostage Rescue Team were killed during a training accident involving a helicopter off the coast of Virginia Beach.
17-May-13 Sambisa, Nigeria
17-May-13
Militants hit a JTF helicopter with anti-aircraft weapons during combat operations.
Helmet saves Otago helicopter pilot’s life
Source: MSN, 16-May-13
A Central Otago pilot has escaped with his life and a lucky lid after his unattended helicopter took off, crashed and the tail rotor grazed his helmet. (See Full Story)
16-May-13 D-HLDM Eurocopter EC135P2 Ochsenfurt, Germany
16-May-13
EMS helicopter landed on scene and stabiliser end-plate pierced car windscreen
North Sea – Safety issues with Ekofisk Helipad
Source: Offshore Energy Today, 14-May-13
The Petroleum Safety Authority Norway (PSA), with assistance from the Civil Aviation Authority, carried out an audit of Ekofisk 2/4-L facility on 4 – 5 April 2013. (See Full Story)
14-May-13 B-7479 Bell 206B Dezhou City, China
14-May-13
Helicopter hijacked, linked to recovery of monies owed by the operator to another aviation company
Mechanic takes blame for Honolulu R22 accident
Source: Khon 2, 13-May-13
New video has been released following Wednesday’s helicopter crash landing in downtown Honolulu. The Kukui Plaza condominium captured the crash landing on surveillance video. (See Full Story)
Pensacola Helicopter Safety Seminar
Source: HAI, 13-May-13
Join HAI, the FAA Safety Team, a cast of industry experts, and your peers for a free workshop for all helicopter pilots, operators, students, and instructors in the southern region on June 8 in Pensacola, Fla. Let’s all reach the highest level of safety! Topics covered will include helicopter accident trends, human factors, safety initiatives, [...]
13-May-13 North Platte, US-Nebraska
13-May-13
Emergency landing - North Platte Fire and Rescue responded to the airport for precautionary reasons. Fire Marshal George Lewis said there was no fire and no one was injured.
13-May-13 HAL Dhruv Siachen, India
13-May-13
1 serious, 1 minor injury to the 2 POB. Damage level to helicopter not known
12-May-13 C-GAHZ Bell 212 Dewar Lakes, Canada
12-May-13
On landing, the helicopter encountered whiteout conditions, and after touchdown, the helicopter rolled over. Two of the three passengers suffered minor injuries. The pilot and other passenger were not injured. The helicopter was destroyed. On contract to Canada’s Dept of National Defence. CADORS 2013C1810
10-May-13 Irvine, US-California
10-May-13
Sheriff helicopter made emergency field landing after reporting engine problems
10-May-13 N94PH Bell 206B Heflin, US-Kentucky
10-May-13
Hit powerline while spraying. Pilot walked away – he was named here as Michael Stewart
5 helicopter accidents/incidents in Montana in 5 weeks
Source: HeliHub.com, 09-May-13
Montana, one of the least populated states in the US, has seen well more than its “fair share” of helicopter accidents and incidents in the last fives weeks. HeliHub.com has reported no fewer than five such events in its Accident/Incident data pages, including one fatal accident. Other situations include a bird strike breaking the windshield [...]
UK AAIB Bulletin – May 2013
Source: AAIB, 09-May-13
The monthly bulletin from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been released. This month’s issue does not refer to any helicopters and this update is included in HeliHub.com for completeness.
09-May-13 Mil Mi-24 Port Harcourt, Nigeria
09-May-13
Emergency landing on training flight due to tail rotor failure. No injuries
09-May-13 Robinson R22 Sao Paulo, Brazil
09-May-13
Training accident, helicopter ended up on its starboard side in local park
HAI President’s Message: Safety First, Sound Second
Source: HAI, 08-May-13
We talk a lot in our industry about the importance of a “Safety First” culture, but I think a conversation about our No. 2 priority also needs to occur: minimizing the impact of a helicopter’s sound on the environment. Why, you ask, did I call it sound, instead of noise? Noise just sounds bad, like [...]
08-May-13 N318DB Eurocopter SA318C Everglades National Park, US-Florida
08-May-13
Pilot reported a loss of engine power while hovering the helicopter at 20 feet during biological survey flight. Aircraft was substantially damaged.
08-May-13 N5ZK Robinson R22 Honolulu, US-Hawaii
08-May-13
Force landed in street and badly damaged in collision with parked vehicle
08-May-13 PT-HML Eurocopter AS350 Morro da Urca HP, Brazil
08-May-13
Approach to helipad with tail wind – ended up in trees adjacent to the heliport. Helicopter believed to be on sightseeing tour. Five people injured Cláudio Cobo Fernandes, Marcos Estaca da Silva Nunes, Disney da Silva Ribeiro Lopes Júnior, along with pilot Ricardo de Resende Herter and co-pilot Murilo Cesar da Silva Saibro. Damage to main [...]
NZ – Six-seat Composite prototype ditches into Auckland harbour
Source: HeliHub.com, 07-May-13
The only flying prototype of the all-composite six-seat helicopter dubbed “Adventourer” has ditched into Auckland Harbour in the channel between North Head and Rangitoto and sunk, bringing the development program to a halt. The salt water will no doubt mean a complete re-build and a significant pause in the development program of the KC518 helicopter being [...]
07-May-13 ZK-ICM Composite Helicopters KC518 Auckland, New Zealand
07-May-13
Technical issue forced pilot to ditch prototype 5-place turbine helicopter into Auckland Harbour
07-May-13 RP-C7788 Eurocopter SE313B Barangay Rawis, Philippines
07-May-13
EMergency landing on shoreline shortly after take-off. Pilot Capt. Dino Garcia and passengers Decoroso Asinas, and Efipanio Pinca suffered minor injuries while the last passenger Andre Abalon suffered serious head injuries after being struck by the rotor blades
07-May-13 N20Z Bell 206L La Junta, US-Colorado
07-May-13
Crashed in open land and fell onto its side. Reported as on photo mission. Three occupants had minor injuries
07-May-13 I-ONYX MD Helicopters MD500E L’Aquila, Italy
07-May-13
Contacted powerlines on approach to airport
06-May-13 RA-24410 Mil Mi-8 Preobrazhenka, Russia (9F)
06-May-13
Helicopter with 9 persons and 2 tons of explosive
06-May-13 N373NE Eurocopter BK117C1 Bourne, US-Massachusetts
06-May-13
Precautionary landing due to weather
06-May-13 Mosquito XE Waterloo, US-Iowa
06-May-13
Ultralight helicopter, believed to be a Mosquito Xe, crashed – injuring the pilot
06-May-13 N911SV Eurocopter EC135 Billings, US-Montana
06-May-13
Bird strike broke windshield. Immediate – and uneventful – landing. No injuries.
05-May-13 9M-DBH Eurocopter AS365N2 Sungai Besi, Malaysia
05-May-13
Caught by sudden gust of wind in poor weather while hovering to turn for taxi to parking spot. Helicopter ended up on its port side. Passengers were Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein and his wife Tengku Datin Seri Marsilla Tengku Abdullah, and their daughter and son-in-law – none were injured in the accident
04-May-13 Burdett, Australia
04-May-13
EMS helicopter grounded with patient on board after electrical issue. Patient to hospital by ground ambulance – took 1 hour extra. Medstar operates EC130, BK117 and B412 helicopters
Step Change in Safety commended at international awards ceremony
Source: Step Change in Safety, 03-May-13
Step Change in Safety has received a prestigious commendation by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work for its efforts to improve workforce engagement in the offshore oil and gas industry. Step Change in Safety’s Workforce Engagement Toolkit – which promises to positively transform the way oil and gas companies interact with staff [...]
Feds issue helmet safety guideline reminder
Source: HAI, 02-May-13
With the fire season approaching and interagency aviation operations gearing up, the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) this week issued an accident prevention bulletin reminding helicopter flight crews to ensure their helmets meet interagency guidelines and, more importantly, offer adequate protection. The bulletin warns that some helmets may contain outdated [...]
02-May-13 PP-EIH Eurocopter AS350BA Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
02-May-13
Five hospitalised after police helicopter crashed on training flight. Landed upright with significant vertical forces. Helicopter was executing a series of low orbit firing passes when the main rotor blades struck treetops and it spiraled into the ground.
02-May-13 N442RN Robinson R44 Pomeroy, US-Washington
02-May-13
Rolled over during aerial spraying operation
02-May-13 N209LF Eurocopter EC130 Walnut Hill, US-Florida
02-May-13
EMS Helicopter grounded after technical (electrical?) fault on take-off. Patient on board and taken onwards by ground ambulance
02-May-13 ZK-HAM Robinson R22 West Coast, New Zealand
02-May-13
“Helicopter took off on its own and came down on its side”
HNZ accident-free in 2012 with over 65,000 flying hours
Source: HNZ, 01-May-13
After collating all the statistics from their operations world-wide, HNZ Global have been celebrating a completely accident free 2012. Flying more than 65,000 hours in mostly specialized ‘niche’ helicopter operations all around the world, the “clean slate” represents a remarkable effort, especially for such a large and diverse organization. “Operating in both the utility market [...]
Metro Aviation Pilot Recognized for Safety
Source: Metro Aviation, 01-May-13
Metro Aviation conducted annual training for 34 lead pilots last week. Pilots gathered at the company’s new training facility at its Shreveport, Louisiana headquarters. During the culminating dinner, Metro recognized Joseph “Woody” Woodard, Lead Pilot for the First Flight program in Melbourne, Florida. Woodard was honored for his quick thinking and commendable actions during a [...]
01-May-13 Frankfort, US-Kentucky
01-May-13
Sergeant First Class David Gentry was on rapelling practice from a helicopter, but did not control/slow his descent in the last 60 feet and hit the ground very heavily and collapsed
HAI to hold Anchorage Helicopter Pilot Workshop this week
Source: HAI, 29-Apr-13
On Thursday, May 2, 2013, join HAI, the FAASTeam, and a diverse panel of industry experts as they discuss regional issues affecting helicopter pilots, accident trends, personal risk assessment, safety initiatives, and more. There will be a free lunch for all attendees; you can obtain the latest safety materials, earn WINGS credit, and network with [...]
27-Apr-13 N150SP Bell 206B Shepherd, US-Montana (1F)
27-Apr-13
Sole occupant pilot killed after striking wires
27-Apr-13 N305SJ Sikorsky S76B Constanza, Dominican Republic
27-Apr-13
While landing at 5000 ft MSL with 2 crew and 5 pax, the helicopter landed hard and rolled over. Two slight injuries and plus injuries to one on the ground from debris. Pilot reported as Manolito Vela
27-Apr-13 LN-OVO Eurocopter AS350B3 Roldal, Norway
27-Apr-13
Five POB not seriously injured when helicopter crashed at ski resort. One report quotes a police officer saying there is a suspicion the pilot was impaired by alcohol, but most reports say the test was “routine”. Some reports mention contact with powerlines, others rule that out
Saudi to set up independent air crash investigation team
Source: Arabian Aerospace, 26-Apr-13
Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Civil Aviation (GACA) is to set up an independent body to investigate air accidents. (See Full Story)
25-Apr-13 N937GR Bell 407 Mount Aeneas, US-Montana
25-Apr-13
Rolled over on landing. Supporting work on radio repeater site on the mountain
25-Apr-13 (military helicopter) Israel
25-Apr-13
A helicopter transporting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made an emergency landing after military officials spotted and shot down a UAV entering Israeli airspace.
25-Apr-13 HU26-18 Eurocopter EC135P2+ Los Galayos, Spain
25-Apr-13
Blade strike and ensuing heavy landing caused skids to deform. Fortunately helicopter did not fall over the edge of the mountain, but it was very close. Helicopter was registered HU26-18 and carried code “09-312″
24-Apr-13 XC-AAF MD Helicopters MD600N Oaxaca, Mexico (4F)
24-Apr-13
Helicopter on an EMS flight crashed killing a newborn baby less than 24 hours old, his father Pedro Martinez, pilot Guillermo Chávez Medina and paramedic Pablo Héctor Vicente. Helicopter destroyed
24-Apr-13 PP-ELB Eurocopter AS365N1 Santos Dumont, Brazil
24-Apr-13
While approaching the destination airport, the right engine Fuel and Fuel Quantity light flashed on. At the same time, the right engine flamed out. The crew made a single-engine landing . The aircraft was not damaged.
23-Apr-13 N473SD Hughes OH-6A Crystal River, US-Florida
24-Apr-13
Emergency landing at night on highway US19. Pilot minor injuries treated at scene, co-pilot uninjured
23-Apr-13 ZS-HLS Robinson R44 Schoemanskloof, South Africa (4F)
23-Apr-13
Helicopter departed Nelspruit, picked up passengers at Casterbridge and was en route to Grand Central, but crashed in an open field. Visibility is quoted in press reports as a possible factor. The victims were named as Nicholas More, Pierre de Villiers, Lance Cooper and Elmarie Martens.
23-Apr-13 OO-PIV Robinson R44 Geel, Belgium
23-Apr-13
Helicopter rolled over onto its side, causing substantial damage, shortly after cameraman had got out. Off airfield landing at transport depot of BE-Trans
23-Apr-13 N51767 Enstrom F28C Glidden, US-Iowa
23-Apr-13
Crashed in open field with boom separated from cabin/engine area. Helicopter had been hired by Iowa Department of Natural Resources for a geese count
23-Apr-13 N2072M Bell 206L1 Grand Canyon, US-Arizona
23-Apr-13
Substantially damaged in landing accident. Although this is a tour helicopter, only two flight crew were on board, no passengers
21-Apr-13 OM-M959 Dynali H2S Trnava, Slovak Republic (1F)
21-Apr-13
Crashed into ploughed field with no obstructions near, killing one. Both occupants were pilots.
21-Apr-13 Mil Mi-8T Azr district, Afghanistan
21-Apr-13
Emergency landing off airfield. 12 occupants (2x USA, 7x Turkish, 1x Russian, 2x Afghan) captured by Taliban forces, who claim to have destroyed the helicopter, which may be one of YA-KHA/B/C/D/E
HAI Stresses Safety and AMT Numbers at ATEC
Source: HAI, 18-Apr-13
This week, Stan Rose, HAI’s director of safety outreach programs, represented HAI at the 53rd annual conference of the Aviation Technical Education Council (ATEC) in Orlando, Fla. HAI is committed to working with this group to address the issues of a shortage of qualified maintenance personnel, including professional development in ab-initio training and in curriculum [...]
