Accident
On 03 September 2008 at 20:23 local time, a Bell 212 helicopter, registration A6-ALV, was involved in an accident at the Rashid Drilling Rig (MAERSK RESILIENT) located at coordinates 25°21'1.5085"N 54°29'1.6888"E. The helicopter had departed from Dubai International Airport earlier that evening with 2 crew members and 5 passengers on board, making a total of 7 persons.
Sequence of Events
After landing on the rig's landing area, the helicopter lifted off approximately two meters vertically and remained in hover for two to three seconds. It then turned counter clockwise approximately 180 degrees and climbed at takeoff power to a height of about twenty-two meters while travelling backwards for approximately fifty meters. During this rearward movement, the main rotor blades collided with the vertical crane of the drilling rig. The helicopter subsequently broke up and fell into two major fuselage pieces. One piece fell onto exhaust pipes from the port engine room, and the other piece, containing the cockpit, fell through the center of the rear jackup leg and became submerged. A fire broke out after the crash, and the helicopter was totally destroyed.
Damage and Injuries
The aircraft was totally destroyed due to impact forces and the subsequent fire. All seven persons on board (2 crew and 5 passengers) sustained fatal injuries. The fact-sheet indicates 7 fatalities and 7 fatal injuries.
Probable Cause
No probable cause is listed in the fact-sheet.