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Helicopter accident in Lavangen, Norway (LN-OSN)

Fossbakken, Lavangen, Troms county, Norway, NO

On July 20, 2016, an Airbus Helicopters AS 350 B3 (registration LN-OSN) was involved in an aviation accident near Fossbakken, Lavangen, Troms county, Norway, NO. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot in command was unaware of a 700 kg suspended load attached to the helicopter's hook during departure, leading to a partial loss of control. This summary draws on records from the Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority (NSIA).

Sourcesthe Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority (NSIA)Primary reportUpdated 2026-09-13Data APIEditorial standards

An Airbus Helicopters AS 350 B3, LN-OSN, operated by HeliScan AS, crashed in Lavangen, Troms, Norway, on 20 July 2016. The aircraft departed with an unobserved 700 kg suspended load, resulting in partial loss of control and a hard landing.

Incident Overview and Aircraft Details On 20 July 2016, an Airbus Helicopters AS 350 B3, registration LN-OSN, operated by HeliScan AS, was involved in an accident in Lavangen, Troms, Norway. The aircraft, manufactured in 2008 and powered by a Turbomeca Arriel 2B1 engine, was conducting commercial, non-scheduled operations. The pilot in command was a 37-year-old holder of a Commercial Pilot Licence (Helicopters) with approximately 4,400 total flight hours, including 1,300 hours on type. The accident occurred in uncontrolled airspace (Class G) under visual meteorological conditions (VMC) with daylight, light cloud, and a southerly wind of approximately 7 knots. The QNH was 1010 hPa and the temperature was 16 degrees Celsius. One person was on board, and there were no injuries. The aircraft sustained damage to its landing gear and main rotor blades.

Probable cause

The pilot in command was unaware of a 700 kg suspended load attached to the helicopter's hook during departure, leading to a partial loss of control.
Loss of control in flight

More accident analyses

Investigation report by the Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority (NSIA). Original record: https://nsia.no/Aviation/Aviation/Published-reports/2017-02. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority (NSIA) / Statens havarikommisjon, Norway.