PDA

View Full Version : AS350 down in Norway - pilot suspected of being over the legal blood alcohol limit


helicopterpilot
27th Apr 2013, 20:04
Mistanke om promille etter helikopterstyrt i Røldal - VG Nett (http://www.vg.no/nyheter/innenriks/artikkel.php?artid=10102930)

AP) A helicopter with five people aboard crashed Saturday over Røldal in Hordaland. Police confirm the pilot is supspected of being over the legal blood alcohol limit.

The helicopter had gone down after hitting power lines in the top of the resort in Røldal.

All aboard arrived safely from the dramatic crash.

- The helicopter has crashed into the slopes. There were five people on board and everyone is looking in good shape, said operations manager Gustav Landro at Hordaland Police VG Saturday morning.

Suspected drunk-

Now police confirm that there is a suspicion that the pilot was impaired by alcohol.

- It is suspected the pilot was over the legal alcohol limit. An alcohol test has been performed. However, we will not be able to determine the final results of the blood sample for another few days, said operations manager in Hordaland Police Ronny Lentføhr to VG.

VG has learned the preliminary tests showed a higher blood alcohol level than is allowed.

According to the CAA the legal blood alcohol limit for both pilots and cabin person all aircraft is 0.2.

Only minor injuries

Participants should only have received minor injuries in the crash and receiving treatment from a doctor on site.

- The five board are all in good condition and a doctor has examined them. Therefore, we are not sending resources there now, said rescue manager at the Rescue Coordination Centre, Jan Lillebø.

VG are told that the helicopter was carrying personnel to the top of the hill in a competition at the resort.

- We were flying security personnel to the top of the hill and then something has happened. The helicopter has gone down and the tail has broken off, says general manager at skiingarea, Oddvar Bratteteig.

AIBN is notified of the crash, but police do not yet know why the helicopter got into trouble.

http://static.vg.no/uploaded/image/2013/4/27/helikopter834.jpg
-----------------------------------

Hopefully the final tests will show the pilot was legal to fly. But definitely not a good sign that the preliminary tests showed alcohol in his system.

rogerer
28th Apr 2013, 00:36
Correction: it did not hit the power lines. That is just an assumption from the media.

helihub
29th Apr 2013, 04:46
Most of the Norwegian press say that testing the pilot was "routine", some saying that the police interviewed the pilot by telephone. Sounds like an exercise in creative writing. Certainly the AS350B3+ ended up on its side, part of the boom 40m separate from the helicopter - and the media agree that those inside got out OK without any serious injuries. Looks like the rear seats fell from their mountings too?

http://g.api.no/obscura/API/image/r1/escenic/978x1200r/1367159153/archive/04854/helikopterstyrt_4854131a.jpg

http://g.api.no/obscura/API/image/r1/escenic/978x1200r/1367075676/archive/04852/DSC_2222_4852751a.jpg

http://images2.jetphotos.net/img/3/5/4/5/78376_1323628545.jpg