The Transportation Safety Board says a helicopter carrying 13 passengers and crew came within four metres of ditching in the Atlantic last July as it was trying to land on an offshore platform in foggy conditions.
The board's report, released today, says the two pilots aboard the Sikorsky S-92A helicopter had attempted two approaches using instrument flight rules, but they couldn't land because of low clouds and poor visibility.
#TSBAir released its investigation report A19A0055 into the inadvertent descent of a Sikorsky S-92A helicopter headed to an offshore platform near Sable Island, NS, in July 2019https://t.co/KuKtgK4GKQ
— TSB of Canada (@TSBCanada) April 27, 2021
The flight crew then spotted the platform, visible above a fog layer, and attempted a non-standard visual approach.
The independent agency says that as the helicopter approached the helideck in low-visibility conditions, the pilots inadvertently entered a high rate of descent at low airspeed.
During the descent, the helicopter’s engines were over-revved as the flight crew increased power to regain control just above the water.
The board's investigation determined that during the final approach, the helicopter was flying at a low power setting that the flight crew did not notice.
There were no injuries and the aircraft safely returned to Halifax Stanfield International Airport, where it was later removed from service.