ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 169230
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Friday 15 February 2013 |
| Time: | 21:25 LT |
| Type: |  Aérospatiale AS 332L Super Puma |
| Owner/operator: | Bristow Helicopters Australia (BHA) |
| Registration: | VH-BHK |
| MSN: | 2096 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: |
| Aircraft damage: | None |
| Location: | offshore Barrow Island, WA -
 Australia
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Offshore |
| Departure airport: | Lorelay (offshore vessel, 40 nm NW Barrow Island) |
| Barrow Island, WA | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities |
Returning to Barrow Island after conducting night deck landing practice onoffshore vessel. At about halfway the helicopter entered cloud with severe turbulence and lightning. The crew steered away from Barrow Island and descended to the lowest safe altitude to try and escape the conditions, but after 10 minutes turned back towards the island.
With insufficient fuel to divert to a suitable night landing alternate or to safely conduct a published instrument approach, the crew of the twin-engine helicopter were compelled to shut down an engine to conserve fuel and to descend below the lowest safe altitude in instrument meteorological conditions. The crew eventually descended to 250 ft over water and visual contact was made with lights in vicinity of the island. To minimise distraction and conserve fuel, the crew did not restart the engine and landed in winds gusting to 50 kt. Fuel remaining was 300 lb (170 L), which was less than the stipulated fixed reserve.
The ATSB found that the crew departed Barrow Island for the night training flight with sufficient fuel to return and land with standard reserves intact as allowed by the aerodrome forecast, but encountered unforecast severe weather on the return sector that prevented a routine visual or instrument approach.
The validity of the Barrow Island aerodrome forecast had been extended to cover the duration of the flight, but the forecast did not include any reference to severe weather, and was not amended when the adverse trend became evident because the forecaster on duty at the time was unaware of the extended validity.
Sources:
http://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/2013/aair/ao-2013-034.aspx
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 27-Aug-2014 06:19 | Aerossurance | Added |
| 03-Sep-2014 17:32 | TB | Updated [Aircraft type, Cn, Location, Narrative] |
| 10-Apr-2015 20:12 | TB | Updated [Aircraft type] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation