What happened
On 7 September 2023, a Bell B212 helicopter, registered as A6-ALD, was conducting a non-revenue training flight for night operations near the ARAS driller rig in Umm Al Quwain. The flight, operated by Aerogulf Services Co (L.L.C), was intended to maintain the copilot's night flying currency.
After departing Al Maktoum International Airport, the crew successfully completed an initial landing on the offshore helideck. Following this, the helicopter performed two additional circuits, landing a second and third time as part of the training syllabus. At 16:05 UTC, the aircraft departed the rig on a northwest heading. Only one minute later, the Helideck Landing Officer reported that the helicopter had crashed into the sea approximately 60 and 600 meters from the rig.
The investigation
The UAE Air Accident Investigation Sector (GCAA AAIS) launched an inquiry into the accident, which resulted in two fatalities among the flight crew. The investigation team, which includes representatives from the NTSB and the TSB of Canada, has been working to recover wreckage from the seabed.
Investigators have already recovered significant components, including the cockpit and the main transmission gear. While a small fire was reported by an observer on the rig immediately following the impact, no fire damage has been identified on the recovered debris. The investigation is currently utilizing data from the aircraft's Skytrac positioning system to reconstruct the flight path and is working with manufacturers to examine the recovered structural parts.