What happened
On September 4, 2024, a Bell 206L1 helicopter, registration SE-JPB, operated by Arctic Air AB, crashed in the Susenfjellet area of Hattfjelldal municipality. The aircraft was performing a specialized operation for a client to transport personnel and materials, including timber and concrete, to repair trails and bridges.
During the mission, the pilot attempted to land the aircraft on a marshy area to allow the task specialist to secure a longline load. As the pilot lowered the collective, the rear right landing skid made contact with the ground earlier than anticipated. This caused the aircraft to tilt toward the left, prompting the pilot to apply significant right cyclic and increase collective to correct the movement. This maneuver instead caused the helicopter to tip toward the right, exceeding a critical angle. The aircraft entered a dynamic rollover, during which the main rotor blades struck the ground, causing the rotor mast to break and the tail boom to fracture.
The investigation
The Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority (NSIA) examined the wreckage and interviewed the crew and client representatives. The investigation focused on the mechanics of the rollover, the adequacy of emergency equipment, and the effectiveness of the search and rescue response.
Investigators found that the aircraft was equipped with "bear paws" on the skids to prevent sinking in soft ground, but the right-side plate had twisted during the impact. The investigation also noted that the aircraft's Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) lacked internal GPS, meaning it could not transmit precise coordinates to rescuers. Furthermore, the operator's GSM-based flight following system was ineffective because the accident occurred in an area without mobile coverage. The rescue was only made possible because personnel from the client company, who were nearby, possessed a satellite phone and were able to alert the police.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was a dynamic rollover triggered by the landing skid catching the ground.
- The lack of protective headgear for the crew contributed to the severity of the injuries; the task specialist sustained a significant head injury that could have been fatal without the presence of a helmet.
- The aircraft was not carrying required survival or signaling equipment, such as flares or signaling devices, as mandated by regulations for operations in remote areas.
- The ELT's inability to transmit position data created significant uncertainty during the search process.
- The rescue was dependent on the coincidence of the client's personnel being in the immediate vicinity with a satellite phone.
Safety action
Following the accident, Arctic Air AB implemented several safety improvements, including a mandate that all pilots and task specialists must wear helmets and ensuring all helicopters carry appropriate survival equipment for remote operations.
The NSIA has issued a safety recommendation to the Samarbeidsforum for helikoptersikkerhet innlands (SFI), urging the development of guidelines for helicopter service procurement to ensure that clients require necessary emergency and survival equipment for all missions.