What happened
On February 24, 2018, an Airbus Helicopters AS 350 B3, registration LN-OWE, operated by Nord Helikopter AS, was performing a cargo and passenger transport mission near Kvamsdal in Masfjorden municipality. The flight was part of an ongoing project to install foundations for new power line towers. The pilot was attempting to land at a site to drop off surveyors and pick up an excavator operator.
While positioning for the landing, the main rotor blades struck a container located on the landing area. The impact caused damage to all three main rotor blades, including the loss of an end plate on one blade. Following the strike, the pilot transitioned the aircraft into a hover and maneuvered away from the obstacle, eventually returning to a known, safe landing site at the rig base approximately two minutes away. There were no injuries to the four occupants on board.
The investigation
The Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority (NSIA) examined the changes to the landing site between the previous day's operations and the incident. Investigators found that the landing area had been significantly altered by ground work, including excavation and the placement of new equipment.
During the investigation, it was noted that the pilot was focused on identifying ground references from a previous landing, while the loadmaster was monitoring the area behind and to the left of the aircraft. Consequently, neither crew member maintained adequate awareness of the distance to the container positioned to the left of the helicopter. The investigation also looked into the communication between the client and the flight crew regarding the readiness of the landing site and the presence of new obstacles.
Findings
- The landing site had become unsuitable for the intended operation due to recent excavation and the placement of heavy equipment by third parties.
- The pilot failed to maintain adequate clearance from the container while maneuvering the aircraft toward the left to find a more stable landing position.
- There was a lack of coordination between the client's ground crew and the flight crew regarding the changing state of the landing area.
- The pilot's focus on finding previous skid marks led to a loss of situational awareness regarding the proximity of the container.
- The loadmaster's lookout position did not cover the area where the collision occurred.