A very close call near Duluth, MN.
A Life Link Bell 407 encountered IMC conditions the other night. Cloud base was about 1400 AGL and visibility was four to seven miles with rain showers. The aircraft was in an area of very few ground lights south of Duluth, MN.
The pilot engaged the autopilot but somehow the aircraft wound up in a very steep bank within fifty feet of the trees when the pilot was able to regain control as visual reference to the ground was re-gained.
It is believed company IIMC procedures were not followed as published.
Hopefully, a full review of the event will be done and lessons learned implemented. Anyone care to guess what chance that will be done?
My bet is it will be thrown completely into the pilot's lap and not one peep about the other links in the chain that led to this near disaster will be heard. Which will be just like it failed to happen in a previous crash of a Bell 412 that killed all four crew members a few years ago.
Last edited by SASless; 2nd Jul 2008 at 03:18.