Date:	Thursday 10 May 2012
Time:	11:14 LT
Type:	Eurocopter EC 225LP Super Puma Mk2+
Owner/operator:	Bond Offshore Helicopters
Registration:	G-REDW
MSN:	2734
Year of manufacture:	2009
Engine model:	Turbomeca Makila 2A1
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 14
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Category:	Accident
Location:	North Sea, 34nm E of Aberdeen -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Offshore
Departure airport:	Aberdeen International Airport (ABZ/EGPD)
Destination airport:	Maersk Resilient MODU, North Sea
Investigating agency:	AAIB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
While operating over the North Sea, in daylight, the crew experienced a loss of main rotor gearbox oil pressure, which required them to activate the emergency lubrication system. Shortly after the system had activated, a warning illuminated indicating that the emergency lubrication system had failed. This required the crew to ditch their helicopters immediately in the North Sea, which was done successfully and all persons on board were recued.

The loss of oil pressure was caused by a failure of the bevel gear vertical shaft in the main rotor gearbox, which drives the oil pumps. The shafts had failed as result of a circumferential fatigue crack in the area where the two parts of the shaft are welded together and was due to corrosion.

The emergency lubrication system did activate. The failure warning was a false indication.
See also G-CHCN.

1. https://stv.tv/news/north/99144-helicopter-carrying-14-people-ditches-into-the-north-sea-off-scottish-coast/
2. https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/north-sea-helicopter-crash-rescued-827441
3. https://www.gov.uk/aaib-reports/ec225-lp-super-puma-g-redw-10-may-2012
4. https://www.gov.uk/aaib-reports/s3-2012-ec225-lp-super-puma-g-redw-10-may-2012
5. https://www.gov.uk/aaib-reports/s5-2012-ec225-lp-super-puma-g-redw
6. https://www.gov.uk/aaib-reports/s2-2013-ec225-lp-g-redw-and-g-chcn-22-may-2012
7. https://www.gov.uk/aaib-reports/aar-2-2014-g-redw-and-g-chcn-10-may-2012
8. https://www.thegoldfishclub.co.uk/goldfish-stories/tim-cousins
9. http://aerossurance.com/news/aaib-report-ditchings-ec225-g-redw-10-may-2012-g-chcn-22-oct-2012/

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
10-May-2012 06:55	RobertMB	Added
10-May-2012 07:11	RobertMB	Updated [Total occupants, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Damage, Narrative, ]
10-May-2012 07:23	RobertMB	Updated [Registration, Cn, ]
10-May-2012 16:54	RobertMB	Updated [Location, Source, Damage, Narrative, ]
11-May-2012 12:38	chulian1819	Updated [Embed code, ]
18-Oct-2012 03:55	TB	Updated [Operator, Location, Departure airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative, ]
01-Nov-2012 08:24	TB	Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Total occupants, Location, Source, Embed code, Narrative, ]
27-Nov-2012 06:54	Masen63	Updated [Source, Narrative, ]
18-Dec-2012 09:12	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative, ]
19-Dec-2012 12:15	TB	Updated [Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative, ]
03-Aug-2014 19:08	Aerossurance	Updated [Nature, Source, Narrative, ]
25-Aug-2014 13:24	TB	Updated [Location, ]
17-Oct-2015 15:42	Aerossurance	Updated [Location, ]
30-Sep-2016 14:41	Aerossurance	Updated [Time, Narrative, ]
26-Oct-2016 15:06	Dr.John Smith	Updated [Source, Embed code, ]
30-Jan-2024 18:38	Aerossurance	Updated [Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Damage, ]