Date:	Monday 13 June 2022
Time:	day
Type:	AgustaWestland AW139
Owner/operator:	Bristow Helicopters
Registration:	G-CIMU
MSN:	31583
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Unknown
Category:	Serious incident
Location:	Norwich Airport (NWI/EGSH) -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Standing
Nature:	Offshore
Departure airport:	Norwich Airport (NWI/EGSH)
Destination airport:	Norwich Airport (NWI/EGSH)
Investigating agency:	AAIB
Confidence Rating:	Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities

Narrative:
An Agusta Westland (Leonardo) AW139, G-CIMU, was undergoing post-flight maintenance at Norwich Airport when a tail rotor duplex bearing failure was found.

The AAIB reported that tests have been carried out on tail rotor duplex bearings to determine the forces applied to the bearing during removal and re-installation. Additionally, a number of tail rotor duplex bearings, which have been removed from service, are undergoing laboratory analysis, the results of this analysis will be used to inform the investigation."

UPDATE: The AAIB published an update to their investigation on 14 October 2024...

"Anniversary Statement: Leonardo AW139, G-CIMU, 13 June 2022
Tail rotor duplex bearing failure found during post-flight maintenance, Norwich Airport, 13 June 2022
This statement provides an update on the ongoing AAIB investigation into a serious incident involving a Leonardo AW139 that suffered a failure of a tail rotor duplex bearing, which was identified during post-flight maintenance at Norwich airport.

The investigation into this serious incident is ongoing. Tests have been carried out on tail rotor duplex bearings to determine the forces applied to the bearing during removal and re-installation. Additionally, a number of tail rotor duplex bearings, which have been removed from service, are undergoing laboratory analysis, the results of this analysis will be used to inform the investigation.

=Damage to airframe=
Per the above AAIB Report "damaged to tail rotor bearing". The helicopter was repaired and returned to service, having been grounded at Norwich between 22 June 2022 and 5 July 2022. The last known flight as G-CIMU was 14 November 2022. The next move for this helicopter was a transfer to Bristow Taxi Aereo in Brazil as PS-BTE from 7 July 2023.

1. AAIB 2nd Anniversary Statement: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/anniversary-statement-leonardo-aw139-g-cimu-13-june-2022
2. AAIB Updated Statement 14 October 2024: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/anniversary-statement-leonardo-aw139-g-cimu-13-june-2022
3. https://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/PS-BTE.html
4. https://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/VH-ZHH.html
5, https://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/G-CIMU.html
6. https://www.helis.com/database/cn/41176/
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norwich_Airport

This Augusta Westland (Leonardo) AW139 was built in 2015, and first registered in the UK as G-CIMU on 27 February 2015 to Bristow Helicopters Ltd. It then moved around the world from 2015-2018 (still operated by various subsidiaries of Bristow Helicopters) before returning to the UK. First to Bristow Helicopters in South Korea as HL-9614 from 24 June 2015, then to Bristow Helicopters in Australia as VH-ZHH from 17 December 2015, returning to the UK with Bristow Helicopters Ltd from 15 October 2018, and resuming its original registration as G-CIMU

After the incident at Norwich Airport on 13 June 2022, G-CIMU was repaired and returned to service, having accumulated a total of 4,585 flying hours as at 2 December 2022. (Last known flight as G-CIMU was 14 November 2022). The next move for this helicopter was a transfer to Bristow Taxi Aereo in Brazil as PS-BTE from 7 July 2023.

G-CIMU AgustaWestland AW.139 at Norwich Airport (MWI/EGSH) Norwich, Norfolk 24 June 2020

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
15-Jun-2024 05:28	Dr. John Smith	Added
15-Jun-2024 05:55	ASN	Updated [Aircraft type, Narrative, ]
14-Oct-2024 16:26	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative, ]