ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 228311
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| Date: | Saturday 17 February 2018 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  AgustaWestland AW189 |
| Owner/operator: | Bristow Helicopters |
| Registration: | G-MCGR |
| MSN: | 92004 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2014 |
| Engine model: | General Electric CT7-2E1 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 4 |
| Aircraft damage: | None |
| Category: | Serious incident |
| Location: | Beinn Narnain, Scotland -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Ambulance |
| Departure airport: | Glasgow-Prestwick Airport (PIK/EGPK) |
| Investigating agency: | AAIB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The helicopter was tasked to rescue three climbers in the area of the Beinn Narnain mountain. The flight was at night and the crew made several attempts to reach them from different directions but due to low cloud were unable to do so. On the fourth attempt, from another direction, the visual references seen through each pilot’s Night Vision Imaging System (NVIS) were lost and a turn back down the re-entrant was attempted. Due to the proximity of the ground, the pilot climbed the helicopter but lost airspeed after which the helicopter yawed to the right. The Pilot Flying (PF) attempted to use the Automatic Flight Control System (AFCS) upper modes to assist him but decoupled them because they caused the collective control lever to lower. The helicopter spot-turned through some 370° before regaining VMC on top. Control was regained and the aircraft subsequently landed. The crew liaised with the Mountain Rescue Team (MRT) who recovered the climbers on foot.
AAIB Conclusion
The incident happened when visual references were lost as the helicopter made an inadvertent entry into cloud during the valley turn. The escape heading required to exit the re-entrant was missed due to the pilot attempting to locate visual references which, due to being IMC, were not available. Use of the AFCS modes, which operated correctly, did not improve the situation but created concern at the unwanted lowering of the collective control lever, and this resulted in the AFCS modes being disengaged. The situation was being resolved, by the PF using his basic IF skills and with the assistance of the PM announcing that they were above the high ground, when the helicopter regained VMC on top of the cloud.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
AAIB
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 18-Aug-2019 09:09 | harro | Added |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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