4 killed in accident Tweed, Ont.

[Cyclic Hotline]

4 dead in helicopter crash near Tweed, Ont. - Ottawa - CBC News (http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/helicopter-crash-tweed-fatalities-1.4448706)

Four people are dead after a helicopter crash northeast of Tweed, Ont., on Thursday.

Dec 14, 2017


An Ornge air ambulance was dispatched at 11:53 a.m. and a second air ambulance was dispatched at 12:15 p.m. Both helicopters were later called off.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has been notified and three of the agency's investigators have been dispatched to investigate.

The Township of Addington Highlands is north of Tweed, between Toronto and Ottawa.

[newfieboy]

Very sad. RIP to the crew and condolences to the families involved.
Have done some work as a contractor for Hydro One in the past. Great bunch of people to work with, made me feel very welcome while flying off their Timmins base a year or so ago.

[albatross]

A terrible event. Especially at this time of year.

[rotornut]

Eyewitness: Audio | CBC Radio (http://www.cbc.ca/radio/popup/audio/listen.html?autoPlay=true&clipIds=,,&mediaIds=1116980803700,1116981315974,1116987459581&contentarea=radio&subsection1=radio1&subsection2=currentaffairs&subsection3=as_it_happens&contenttype=audio)

[rotornut]

Crew members: Hydro One IDs 4 employees killed in helicopter crash - Ottawa - CBC News (http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/hydro-one-names-workers-killed-helicopter-1.4452570)

[Rotorhead139]

*External bag, carabiner struck Hydro One tail rotor: TSB*

Canada’s Transportation Safety Board (TSB) has revealed more information about the Dec. 14, 2017, crash of a Hydro One AS350 B2 AStar near Tweed, Ontario.

The TSB said in a news conference on Dec. 21 that bags used for carrying tools and supplies were being transported externally on an AirStair platform extending from the right side of the helicopter’s fuselage.

Investigators noted these bags are normally attached to the AirStair with double-lock carabiners.

Shortly before the accident, the pilot picked up the three linemen at the base of a tower and was ferrying them to a nearby staging area. While nearing the staging area, one of the bags dislodged from the platform and, together with its attached carabiner, flew back and struck the tail rotor, which subsequently separated from the aircraft.

The helicopter departed controlled flight and all three passengers were ejected from the aircraft while it was still airborne. Investigators later found that two of the three passenger seatbelts in the aft seating area were unfastened.

Members of the TSB team also located a damaged white canvas bag (with a damaged carabiner attached) as well as the tip of a tail rotor blade more than 600 meters (1,968 feet) away from the crash site.

[GrayHorizonsHeli]

I need 10 posts to do a URL...ugh.

http://www.tsb.gc.ca/eng/enquetes-investigations/aviation/2017/a17o0264/a17o0264.asp

[newfieboy]

http://www.tsb.gc.ca/eng/enquetes-investigations/aviation/2017/a17o0264/a17o0264.asp

Sounds like a tool bag departed aircraft and went through the tail. Two linemen not strapped in with seatbelts. All three linemen thrown from machine in flight. Very sad.
RIP Jamie.

[manamale]

Terrible news.. scary stuff storing gear out on the platform i'd imagine.. just lines up perfectly to the tail, was it secured initially and broke or just placed there and flew off?

A wake up call for us all.

[gulliBell]

Sure, a wake up call. Carrying stuff externally on helicopters, even in OEM approved baskets, was always prone for something to go seriously wrong. I would never let anybody attach anything to the helicopter externally, in an approved basket, cable tied to the cross tubes or whatever. If something needed to be attached I would do it myself, and shut down to do so if necessary.

[SASless]

Just saw this article.

Improperly secured bag likely caused Tweed, Ont., helicopter crash: TSB - Ottawa - CBC News (http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/tsb-update-dec-21-fatal-helicopter-crash-1.4460319)

[henra]

The picture of that whole tail rotor and reading that they found it together with the canvas 600m away from the wreckage is chilling. Personally I wouldn't have thought that it would tear the whole tailrotor off including hub&all. With the whole tailrotor physically gone I'm not sure how good even theoretical possibilities to survive this would have been. Even with immediate entering of autorotation.

[wrench1]

The picture of that whole tail rotor and reading that they found it together with the canvas 600m away from the wreckage is chilling. Personally I wouldn't have thought that it would tear the whole tailrotor off including hub&all. With the whole tailrotor physically gone I'm not sure how good even theoretical possibilities to survive this would have been. Even with immediate entering of autorotation.

It wasn't just the T/R assembly but the entire blade/gearbox assembly that departed the aircraft. Unfortunately, with that much weight suddenly removed at that arm, no recovery is possible theoretically or realistically because the CG shoots so far out the front all longitudinal control authority is lost.

Not a good day for all involved.
W1