What happened
On 27 December 2006, an Aerospatiale SA365N Dauphin 2, registration G-BLUN, was performing a scheduled passenger flight in support of offshore gas operations in the Morecambe Bay gas field. After completing two successful sectors, the helicopter departed the Millom West platform at 18:26 hrs, heading toward the North Morecambe platform.
During the final stages of the approach to the North Morecambe platform, the aircraft began to pitch nose down and initiate a slow roll to the right. Flight data indicates that the crew increased engine power and raised the collective lever in an attempt to abort the landing and perform a go-around. However, as the helicopter attempted to climb, the roll to the right continued. The aircraft eventually reached a maximum nose-down pitch of 38 degrees and a bank angle of 38 degrees to the right, before impacting the sea.
All six fatalities (two crew and four passengers) were confirmed, though one passenger remained missing following the search operations. The helicopter was destroyed upon impact.
The investigation
The AAIB investigation involved the recovery of the wreckage, including the main rotor head, gearbox, and both engines. Analysis of the combined data and voice recorder revealed that the initial approach was stable, but the aircraft entered a descending, rolling state during the aborted landing attempt.
Engineers examined the recovered components and found no evidence of a pre-impact mechanical failure. Specifically, there were no signs of malfunction in the tail rotor, drive shaft, or major mechanical components. Data from the engines showed that torque was being delivered to the rotors at the time of impact, and the rotor blades showed damage consistent with a normal operating RPM during the crash.
Findings
- The helicopter experienced a nose-down pitch and a right-hand roll during the go-around maneuver.
- No evidence of a technical or mechanical failure was found in the major components or engines.
- The aircraft's flight parameters, including airspeed and altitude, changed significantly during the final seconds of flight following the crew's decision to abort the landing.