Date:	Monday 13 November 2023
Time:	09:58
Type:	AgustaWestland AW139
Owner/operator:	7 Star Global Airline
Registration:	5N-BOX
MSN:	31386
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Minor
Category:	Accident
Location:	Norwich Airport (NWI/EGSH) -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Taxi
Nature:	Test
Departure airport:	Norwich Airport (NWI/EGSH)
Destination airport:	Norwich Airport (NWI/EGSH)
Investigating agency:	AAIB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
AAIB investigation to AW139, 5N-BOX: Damaged when main rotor struck a lamp post, Norwich Airport, 13 November 2023. The incident was deemed serious enough to be the subject of an AAIB Investigation, and the following is the summary from the AAIB report:

"The helicopter was ground taxiing to the parking area on return from an air test flight. As the commander manoeuvred the helicopter to align with other helicopters on adjacent parking spots the main rotor blades struck a lamp post on the airport perimeter. All five main rotor blades were damaged. The helicopter was shut down and no personnel were injured. The handling agent took safety action to require the use of marshallers for crew unfamiliar with or visiting the airport and to replace the stand markings in early 2024.

=AAIB Conclusion=
The helicopter main rotor blades struck a lamp post while ground taxiing to park on Stand 12 at Norwich Airport. All five main rotor blades were damaged and small pieces of debris were spread over a considerable area. No personnel were injured. Two safety actions were taken.

=Safety action=
To reduce the likelihood of a re-occurrence of a similar event with crews that are not Norwich based, the handling agent for the parking apron took the following safety action:

1) A local procedure was established so that crews not based at Norwich would be directed to their parking positions by an aircraft marshaller.

2) The stands would be resized for different helicopters in the early part of 2024 and the stand markings would be erased and replaced with new painted surface markings"

=Damage sustained to airframe=
Per the AAIB Report "Damage to main rotor blade tips". The aircraft was repaired and returned to service, taking up the UK registration G-NHVX on 5 February 2024

1. AAIB Report: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6634f2b11c82a7597d4f3147/AW139_5N-BOX_05-24.pdf
2. https://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/5N-BOX.html
3. https://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/G-NHVX.html
4. https://www.helis.com/database/cn/27112/
5. https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/5n-box
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norwich_Airport

5N-BOX Agusta Westland AW.139 at Norwich 29 July 2023:

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
11-May-2024 19:33	Dr. John Smith	Added
11-May-2024 19:34	ASN	Updated [Aircraft type, Accident report, ]