30 January 2007
The AAIB has issued a <a href=’http://www.aaib.gov.uk/publications/special_bulletins/s1_2007_aerospatiale_sa365n_dauphin_2__g_blun.cfm’ target=’_blank’>Special Bulletin</a> into the December 27 crash of a SA365 Dauphin 2 at the North Morecombe platform in the Irish Sea. All seven on board are presumed to have died (one body remains unrecovered).
The Special Bulletin S1/2007 isn’t intended to give any answers, but given that the offshore gas and oil support operations are so important, the AAIB has decided to issue the bulletin to “disseminate the results of the initial investigation as soon as possible”.
The report shows that the helicopter’s flight had appeared normal until the very last phase of the flight, and that the onboard ‘black box’ recorder showed no problems ‘of a technical nature and no helicopter manoeuvres …. which were not in response to flight control inputs’.
The investigation continues.
