What happened
On 27 December 2006, an Aerospatiale SA36lar5N, registration G-BLUN, was conducting a night approach to the North Morecambe gas platform in Morecambe Bay. The flight was operating in challenging conditions, characterized by low visibility and poor night-time visual cues. During the final stages of the approach, the crew initiated a go-around procedure. However, the aircraft was flying a much shallower approach path than optimal, which prevented the crew from clearly identifying the helideck's light pattern. During the subsequent maneuver, the aircraft was controlled aggressively, leading to the accident near the platform.
The investigation
An investigation by the AAIB examined the flight data, cockpit voice recordings, and the aircraft's handling characteristics. Testing conducted by the CAA using a similar aircraft type revealed that the Aerospatiale SA365N did not possess inherent handling deficiencies that would cause such an event. However, the investigation identified several environmental and ergonomic factors that complicated the crew's ability to maintain situational awareness.
Investigators found that the helipad lighting featured a bright amber perimeter light that obscured the circular pattern of the lights. Furthermore, the placement of the radio altimeter on the left-hand side instrument panel was optimized for landing but difficult to monitor during the high-workload phase of a go-around. The investigation also noted that the torquemeter was difficult to read during high-stress maneuvers.
Findings
- The crew was flying a shallow approach path that prevented the helideck lights from forming a discernible oval shape, which is essential for judging the approach angle.
- There was a lack of range information because the weather radar had been turned off and GPS data was not being utilized.
- The helipad lighting configuration made it difficult to distinguish the deck's perimeter.
- The pilot in the right-hand seat had almost no visual cues of the platform when taking control during the go-around.
- The aircraft's descent began too early, below the standard transit height, contributing to the loss of depth perception.