Eurocopter has issued a statement to HeliHub.com after we requested further information on the accident on 19th June of G-ECUK, a very recently delivered AS350B3e helicopter. The statement says this – “Regarding the accident that occurred on June 19 near Oxford in the UK with an AS350 B3e, Eurocopter is, at this stage, not able to comment further on the investigation. We confirm that the AS350 B3e fleet has not been grounded. In close collaboration with the investigation authorities, Eurocopter is providing full assistance in order to identify the scenario and the root cause of the accident.”

Despite that statement, HeliHub.com understands that other AS350B3e helicopter(s) are not being flown, including the only other one in the UK  which was delivered in the last few weeks and now based at Denham.

We are reliably informed (but CANNOT confirm) that the issue concerns the tail rotor accumulator. Readers are asked to make their own enquiries and not rely on this information before making any decisions. We are certain that local Eurocopter distributors and maintenance organisations will have more information available than Eurocopter are willing to put in the public domain via this website.

In early April, Eurocopter issued a press release about the subject helicopter being the first AS350B3e delivered in the UK – see First AS350B3e delivered to UK market

See also the HeliHub.com page for this accident – 19-Jun-13 G-ECUK Eurocopter AS350B3e Begbroke, UK

Jeremy Parkin – HeliHub.com

File photo