What happened
On 30 July 2015, an Airbus Helicopters AS 350 BA helicopter, registered C-GBPS, was operating at a remote microwave tower site located roughly 5 nautical miles west-southwest of Rigolet, Newfoundland and Labrador. The aircraft, operated by Canadian Helicopters Limited, was carrying a pilot and two passengers.
At approximately 16:09 Atlantic Daylight Time, the helicopter began its takeoff from the tower site's helipad. During the ascent, the main rotor made contact with a guy wire attached to the tower. The impact caused the helicopter to strike the ground, where it came to rest on its upper right side. The accident resulted in one fatality and two injuries, with the pilot sustaining serious injuries and the second passenger suffering minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed in the crash, though no post-crash fire occurred.
The investigation
Investigators examined the circumstances surrounding the rotor strike and the subsequent impact. The investigation noted that the 406-megahertz emergency locator transmitter failed to activate following the accident. The analysis focused on the flight path and the presence of the guy wire during the departure phase of the flight.