Cover Story, Helicopter Safety
Inadequate training and oversight set the stage for the AS350’s crash onto a New Zealand glacier, the TAIC says.
Weather conditions near New Zealand’s Fox Glacier were “unstable and unsuitable” for a sightseeing flight when an Airbus Helicopters AS350 BA departed from the nearby base for a planned 20-minute flight. The helicopter crashed onto the glacier minutes later, killing the pilot and all six passengers.
Accident/Incident Investigation, Aviation Weather, In-depth Feature
Actual weather was worse than forecast, and the F100 crew believed they had no options other than repeated attempts to land at their planned destination, the ATSB said.
Helicopter Safety, Maintenance Matters, News
A 300-hour inspection could have detected problems with the engine compressor in a Bell 206 before a fatal crash the NTSB says.
Accident/Incident Investigation, News
The ATSB says a pilot’s mistaken belief that an approaching 737 would land behind his Caravan was a factor in a separation occurrence.
