Prang South Of Ft-Mac ?

[Skidz]

Dates don't match between occurence date and occurence summary. Delayed report ?

 

 

 

 

Cadors Number:

2014C3969 Occurrence Category(ies):

• Unknown or undetermined

Occurrence Information Occurrence Type: Accident Occurrence Date: 2014-07-06 Occurrence Time: 1747 Z Day Or Night: day-time Fatalities: 0 Injuries: 0 Canadian Aerodrome ID: Aerodrome Name: Occurrence Location: 38NM south of Fort McMurray (CYMM) Province: Alberta TC Region: Prairie and Northern Region Country: Canada World Area: North America Reported By:

• Transportation Safety Board of Canada

AOR Number: TSB Class Of Investigation: Class 5 TSB Occurrence No: A14W0105

Occurrence Event Information

Aircraft Information Registration Mark: FSWB Foreign Registration: Flight #: Flight Rule: Aircraft Category: Helicopter Country of Registration: Canada Aircraft Make: AEROSPATIALE Aircraft Model: AS 350 B-2 Year Built: 1991 Amateur Built: No Engine Make: AVCO LYCOMING Engine Model: LTS-101-700D-2 Engine Type: Turbo shaft Gear Type: Land Phase Of Flight: Hover Damage: Substantial Owner: AURORA HELICOPTERS LTD. Operator: Aurora Helicopters Ltd. (14833) Operator Type: Commercial CARs Subpart:

Aircraft Event Information

• Collision with terrain

Occurrence Summary Date: 2014-10-14 Further Action Required: No O.P.I.: Narrative: TSB Report#A14W0105: An Aurora Helicopter (Wood Buffalo Helicopters) Aerospatiale AS350 B-2, C-FSWB, was involved in conducting crew transfers approximately 38 NM south of Fort McMurray, AB (CYMM). The helicopter was approaching a field landing zone to board 2 passengers. On short final visual contact was lost and the helicopter hovered and drifted right with the main rotor blades contacting the top of a spruce tree. The helicopter was landed and secured. There were no injuries and the helicopter sustained substantial damage.

Please note that for the most part, CADORS reports contain preliminary, unconfirmed data which can be subject to change.

 

 

 

[cyclic monkey]

Skidz, thank you for once again scouring the CADORS reports just so that you can spread the news of other people's misfortune.

 

However, unless there is some rare nugget of information in these brief preliminary reports that we could all benefit from, maybe it would be better if these reports were left where they belong until a full report is prepared.

Thanks.

[shakey]

Whats the big deal Monkey? One of the worst companies in the industry has an incident (Again) and now you're mad?!? You must work for them cause only a monkey would.

[Guest JetboxJockey]

Some of those guys have never seen snow before.

 

Glad to hear everyone involved is OK.

[Whitestone]

I'm one of those who appreciates these CADORS postings, I may not be a fan of the business model of certain companies but I do not wish ill will on a fellow pilot but these incidents give us all an opportunity to reflect on our own piloting and how we can improve or avoid a similar fate. As the old saying went in the Vortex leaflet, "Learn from the mistakes of others, you'll not live long enough to make them all yourself" (or some such...).

 

Most of us have been using the "land in snow" technique all summer already, landing in tall grass that moves and landing or hovering over water where you have to focus on something that does not move but now there is the added element of not only loosing visual reference with the ground but the "sky" as well when we create a snow ball effect.

 

Also, it's that time of year when the leaves fall and bushes that were easy to see now blend in to the background so give the area you are going to stick your tail and main rotor a really good look on approach.

 

Cheers and fly safe all,

 

W.

[Skidz]

Skidz, thank you for once again scouring the CADORS reports just so that you can spread the news of other people's misfortune. However, unless there is some rare nugget of information in these brief preliminary reports that we could all benefit from, maybe it would be better if these reports were left where they belong until a full report is prepared. Thanks.

 

Sorry you feel this way Kevin. My goal is not to spread the news of other's misfortunes. The goal is to generate content on this site that can lead to meaningful discussion about stuff other than FDT and the usual rumour mill banter. Every one of these prangs is a reminder that there are risks associated with what we do, and the more we discuss them, the better. When I come in on short final to a confined area, I prefer to have fresh in my mind the story of the guy who rolled it up into a ball than back and forth bickering about the consequences of the new FDT regs. Keeps me focused and on my toes.

 

I receive the daily CADORS summary by e-mail every day. I filter through it and any incidents or accidents involving helicopters I post here. I don't discriminate because it's an operator I like or dislike. I don't however bother with most CARs violations (like ADIZ incursions, un-filed flight plans, overdue aircraft, bad aerodrome procedures, etc.) I don't spend any time re-formatting the reports either. Straight cut & paste. I wish there was a way to automate this, but for now it's manual...

 

I started doing this recently because I miss the old Vortex summaries (although this is near real-time, so more current), and I do have a lot of time on my hands at the moment...

 

Keep in mind that a LOT of prangs go unreported in CADORS. So if I miss one, it isn't because I'm trying to hide it. It's because I haven't heard or read about it...

 

If anyone has any comments or suggestions, fire away !

 

Somewhat off-topic, but I highly recommend the book "Fatal Traps for Helicopter Pilots" by Greg Whyte. I've read it at least five times in the past ten years. http://www.fataltraps.com/

[shakey]

I've seen theses prangs printed by Skidz for very reputable companies as well so there is no bias. I understand we can all learn something from others mistakes and even sometimes our own but when a company has incident after incident I question the training. And don't get me started on what I heard said company did to the TWF this happened to. That's a labor board issue in itself, but if they don't like it. Bye Bye

[tin lizzie]

I find amazing how rarely accidents and incidents are acknowledged on these forums, unless they make it into the media or CADORS. Then they're grudgingly admitted and usually downplayed in the hopes they will be quickly forgotten.

 

Accidents/incidents are happening, but it seems more the norm to sweep them under the carpet and pretend they never occurred.

 

I'm sure there are those that relish in hearing of bad fortune befalling an operator or another pilot, however most of us just seek to learn and improve. As Skidz says, better to keep the last accident in the forefont of the brain as a reminder to be vigilant, than to allow complacency to set and feel invincible because it's more pleasant to believe that accidents and incidents never happen.

 

At times there is almost a perverse air of protectiveness around this business. Shoot down anyone who points out a discrepancy with the perceived "norm". Civilized discussion is healthier IMHO, and leads to improvement.

 

Keep the reports coming!

 

Cheers,

 

tin lizzie

[just looking]

Insurance companies will ask companies if they receive and read CADORS on a daily basis. As they also believe there are things to be learned by others mistakes or misfortunes.

[skullcap]

I think the basic information is fine it is informative. Perhaps leave out the company name. If people want to find that out they can look it up.