What happened
On 29 November 2013, a Eurocopter (Deutschland) EC135 T2+, registration G-SPAO, was conducting a police patrol flight over Glasgow City Centre, Scotland. During the operation, the aircraft suffered a simultaneous failure of both engines, leading to a total loss of power to the rotor system. The crew was forced to execute an emergency autorotation to land the aircraft in an urban area.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of events leading to the double engine flameout and the subsequent management of the aircraft's fuel system. Investigators examined the aircraft's fuel monitoring procedures, the functionality of the fuel transfer pumps, and the accuracy of the fuel contents indications. The inquiry also reviewed the crew's adherence to emergency landing procedures and the effectiveness of the aircraft's crashworthiness during the impact. Technical analysis included simulations of engine rundown and the decay of rotor RPM during a power loss event.
Findings
- The aircraft experienced a double engine flameout during flight.
- The investigation examined the potential for fuel-related causes, including the positioning of fuel pump switches and the reliability of fuel sensors.
- The crew performed an emergency landing following the loss of power.
- The investigation considered the impact of rotor RPM decay on the success of the autorotation.