ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 351984
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| Date: | Monday 26 July 2021 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  AgustaWestland AW189 |
| Owner/operator: | Bristow Helicopters Ltd |
| Registration: | G-MCGT |
| MSN: | 92006 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 4 |
| Aircraft damage: | None |
| Category: | Serious incident |
| Location: | Ballintoy Harbour, County Antrim, Northern Ireland -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Ambulance |
| Departure airport: | Glasgow-Prestwick Airport (PIK/EGPK) |
| Ballintoy Harbour, County Antrim, Northern Ireland | |
| Investigating agency: | AAIB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The AW189, G-MCGT, was involved in serious incident when a terrain warning sounded during a go-around due to rising ground ahead at Ballintoy Harbour, County Antrim on 26 July 2021.
The Search and Rescue helicopter was on its third approach, in poor visibility, to collect a casualty from a site adjacent to high ground. The Pilot Flying (PF) selected a mode of the Automatic Flight Control System (AFCS) which would bring the helicopter to a hover. As he did so, the helicopter unexpectedly yawed towards the high ground. When a further selection was made on the AFCS to affect a go-around, the helicopter accelerated towards the terrain while maintaining height. The Helicopter Terrain Awareness Warning System (HTAWS) triggered a visual and aural caution terrain alert. The crew immediately made a climbing turn onto their planned escape heading during which a warning terrain alert triggered. The helicopter recovered to a safe height and returned to its home base.
The unexpected yaw was caused by a mismatch between the previously selected AFCS heading reference and the heading flown by the PF. While the helicopter and the flight control system were found to be serviceable and performed as designed, the crew did not have a complete understanding of the functionality of all the AFCS modes. Other factors included:
- Overriding the engaged modes by manually flying the helicopter.
- A lack of clarity between the role of PF and Pilot Monitoring (PM).
- Ineffective communication and co-ordination between the pilots.
- Imprecise application of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
The operator took a number of safety actions to raise awareness of the event, improve knowledge of the autopilot modes and include the event as part of their initial and recurrent training.
G-MCGT was undamaged in this incident, but was involved in another incident near Heads of Ayr, South Ayrshire just four days later on July 30, 2021(see separate entry). In addition, the person that G-MCGT was called out to rescue on July 26 2021 was later pronounced dead at the scene after being recovered.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
1. AAIB Report: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65cb8411103de2000eb8f3a6/AW189_G-MCGT_03-24.pdf
2. https://www.helis.com/database/cn/41441/
3. https://www.planelogger.com/Aircraft/Registration/G-MCGT/897061
4. BBC Report 27 July 2021: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-57978452 [report on original cause of callout)
5. https://www.qradio.com/tyroneandfermanagh/news/q-radio-local-news/emergency-services-called-out-to-ballintoy-harbour/
6. https://www.causewaycoastandglens.gov.uk/news/mayor-expresses-sadness-and-shock-following-mans-death-at-ballintoy-harbour
7. Incident involving same aircraft 30 July 2021: https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/284300
8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballintoy
History of this aircraft
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
| 30 July 2021 | G-MCGT | Bristow Helicopters Ltd | 0 | Near Heads of Ayr, South Ayrshire | |
non |
Location
Media:
A report has been published into a serious incident involving a Leonardo AW189 (G-MCGT) which sounded a terrain warning during a go-around due to rising ground ahead at Ballintoy Harbour, County Antrim on 26 July 2021https://t.co/CTsWHTrSlA pic.twitter.com/oCHMhTCrk0
— AAIB (@aaibgovuk) February 15, 2024
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 25-Feb-2024 09:03 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 25-Feb-2024 09:05 | ASN | Updated [Embed code, Narrative, Accident report] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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