AAIB June 2005

[Hilico]

AS332L suffers unsuspected (at the time) lightning damage over the North Sea - here. (http://www.aaib.dft.gov.uk/sites/aaib/publications/bulletins/june_2005/aerospatiale_as332l_super_puma__g_tigf.cfm)

The Bournemouth A109 crash - no evidence for sabotage, probable disorientation - here. (http://www.aaib.dft.gov.uk/sites/aaib/publications/bulletins/june_2005/agusta_a109e__g_pwer.cfm)

EC120 crashes from stationary hover at Swansea - gusty conditions? Here. (http://www.aaib.dft.gov.uk/sites/aaib/publications/bulletins/june_2005/eurocopter_ec_120b__ei_izo.cfm)

[TheFlyingSquirrel]

Is the 332 vulnerable to lightning strikes in comparison to other NS ships or has it just been unlucky?

TFS

[212man]

It's just more prolific. When 330s and S-61s were the dominant fleets, they were struck too. There may be an aspect associated with icing clearances too: the 332 has a limited icing clearance and so is more likely to fly in the zero degree regime, where the chances of a strike are higher than being in positive air.

[widgeon]

In general composite blades do not handle strikes as well as metal. But the results of a strike will usually be obvious .