Accident Bell 407 VT-PHH,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 152150
 
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Date:Sunday 30 December 2012
Time:12:10 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic B407 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Bell 407
Owner/operator:Pawan Hans Helicopters (PHHI)
Registration: VT-PHH
MSN: 53210
Year of manufacture:1997
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 7
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Category:Accident
Location:near Katra, Reasi district, Jammu and Kashmir -   India
Phase: Landing
Nature:Passenger
Departure airport:Katra Helipad
Destination airport:Sanjhi Chhat Helipad, Katra
Investigating agency: AAIB India
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
Bell 407 helicopter VT-PHH was engaged in a non-scheduled passenger flight from Katra Helipad to Sanjhi Chhat Helipad at Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine, Katra, Jammu & Kashmir. The helicopter took-off from Katra helipad at around 06:15 UTC. During flight just short of Sanjhi Chhat helipad, the captain heard a loud bang and experienced power loss with a drop in rotor RPM (NR). The captain immediately lowered the collective to regain the rotor RPM and subsequently descended from the sector altitude. Subsequently, the FADEC warning was also generated. The captain tried to control the helicopter by carrying out auto-rotation and simultaneously looked out for a flat land in the valley to carry out a forced landing. The captain controlled the flight during rapid descend and landed on sloping surface next to the river bed at around 06:20 UTC. The helicopter made a heavy landing without power and
received substantial damage. Weather at the time of accident was fine with visibility more than 5 Kms.

The Committee of inquiry determines the probable cause of accident as “Helicopter experienced power loss due to High cycle fatigue (HCF) failure of single 3rd Stage Turbine blade. The pilot attempted for forced landing which eventually resulted into an accident”.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: AAIB India
Report number: 
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 6 years and 5 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

https://www.deccanherald.com/content/301973/seven-injured-helicopter-crash-lands.html
https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/chopper-with-pilgrims-on-board-crash-lands-near-jammu-seven-injured-508949
http://www.kathrynsreport.com/2012/12/copter-crashes-near-vaishno-devi.html (with accident photo)
[LINK NOT WORKING ANYMORE:http://www.dgca.nic.in/caris/know_regn.asp?regn=PHH] (helicopter-details)
http://www.thenorthlines.com/newsdet.aspx?q=60301

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
31-Dec-2012 04:57 gerard57 Added
31-Dec-2012 06:33 TB Updated [Operator]
31-Dec-2012 10:07 Alpine Flight Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn]
31-Dec-2012 10:07 Alpine Flight Updated [Registration]
31-Dec-2012 10:13 Geno Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Location, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
31-Dec-2012 11:44 Alpine Flight Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Source, Narrative]
28-Jul-2013 16:59 TB Updated [Location, Source, Narrative]
02-Jun-2019 19:37 harro Updated [Departure airport, Destination airport, Narrative, Accident report, ]

Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description

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