What happened
On 25 April 2021, an Airbus Helicopters AS 3SB2, registered as C-FYDA, departed from a remote camp on Russell Island, Nunavut, for a planned visual flight rules (VFR) trip to Resolute Bay Airport. The crew, consisting of a pilot, an aircraft maintenance engineer, and a biologist, were returning from a 12-day polar bear research mission.
Shortly after 16:33 Central Daylight Time, the helicopter struck snow-covered terrain on Griffith Island, approximately 12 nautical miles southwest of its destination. The aircraft was destroyed by the impact and a subsequent fire. The emergency locator transmitter failed to activate due to damage during the crash. There were 3 fatalities.
The investigation
The TSB examined the environmental conditions, the pilot's decision-making, and the organizational safety structures of Great Slave Helicopters 2018 Ltd. The investigation focused on the transition from VFR to instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) and the lack of specific training for such encounters. Investigators also reviewed the adequacy of the regulatory framework regarding single-pilot operations and the equipment required for reduced-visibility flights in uncontrolled airspace.
Findings
- The pilot was flying a near-reciprocal track to the intended route when the aircraft encountered flat light and whiteout conditions caused by overcast skies and snow squalls.
- These conditions led to a loss of visual references, resulting in an unintentional descent and subsequent terrain impact.
- The pilot's decision to proceed was influenced by a limited experience operating above the tree line in winter/spring and a reliance on a client's weather assessment rather than formal briefings.
- There was a lack of organizational defences, as the operator's risk management process overestimated the pilot's ability to handle such conditions.
- Current regulations do not require commercial helicopter pilots to be trained in recovering from inadvertent flight into IMC, nor do they mandate specific technology to assist in such scenarios.
Safety action
Following the accident, Great Slave Helicopters 2018 Ltd. implemented several internal changes, including a safety stand-down, updated standard operating procedures (SOPs) for flying in whiteout conditions, and enhanced pilot recurrent training focused on decision-making.