Accident Details
A helicopter pilot with 5,472 hours of flight experience was maneuvering to land on the helideck of an offshore platform when the main rotor blades struck an object that had been temporarily placed on the helideck. Subsequently, the helicopter rolled off the helideck and impacted the water. The helicopter was not recovered and is presumed destroyed.
Sequence of Events
During the approach, the pilot stated that while hovering, he asked the passenger seated in the left front seat about the helicopter's position relative to the platform and whether the left side was clear, as he was "watching the rotor disc." The passenger informed the pilot that the helicopter was half on and half off the platform and that the left side was clear. The passenger, who originally wanted to go to the platform, then told the pilot to continue ahead and not land. As the pilot acknowledged this request, he heard a noise followed by a sudden yaw to the right and a shudder of the flight controls.
Helideck Status
The owners of the platform stated that the helideck was not operational at the time of the accident. However, the operator of the helicopter reported that they were not aware of the status of the platform.