Originally Posted by
GenuineHoverBug
An
update from NSIA (only in Norwegian so far) states that the floats were armed, but (obviously) did not inflate.
They speculate that it could be because the sequence of events managed to outsmart the design criteria.
Update March 8, 2024
The investigation is still in an early phase. The Accident Investigation Board has interviewed the five who survived the accident. Together with analysis of data from the tachograph, this is important information to be able to understand why the accident could have happened. There is good dialogue with the parties involved. All findings that are significant for flight safety will be immediately given to the Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority and to the European Aviation Authority, EASA. The American Accident Investigation Board, NTSB, is associated with the investigation with an accredited representative.
So far, no significant discoveries have been made that affect the immediate flight safety.
The survey will also include survival possibilities. This includes both the helicopter's and crew's equipment, the possibility of evacuation and the rescue operation itself.
The helicopter was equipped with floats. These were armed, but were not automatically triggered in the event of a collision with the sea. The flotation elements for the helicopter type are designed for a controlled emergency landing on water. Although the accident appears to have had limited energy when it collided with the sea, it cannot be described as a controlled emergency landing. The fact that floats were not resolved may be because the situation that arose was outside the system's limitations. The Accident Investigation Board cannot thus far say that there is a technical fault with the floats.
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