S76 C+ Offshore Accident Indonesia 20JUL2021

[Marv]

The details surrounding Travira's S76C+ 20JUL accident are scant- "The NTSB report that Sikorsky S-76C++ PK-TVY was involved in an accident at the Soehanah jack-up Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit (MODU) in the South China Sea. According to BEA the "When about to land, a loud noise was heard and the aircraft rolled to the right. The aircraft stopped at the edge of the helipad. All main rotor blades detached." No injuries were reported".
Anyone have more information? Rumours?

[helihub]

https://www.energyvoice.com/oilandga...-in-indonesia/

[nowherespecial]

A usually reliable contact of mine reports pilot error and very close to falling off the deck.

[Marv]

Many thanks HeliHub and Nowherespecial, one sentence from Energyvoice was notable "Sources told Petromindo that strong wind had caused equipment to fall from the helicopter and that several crew members were injured." In this instance I wonder what equipment falls off an S76 in strong winds? Gotta get that equipment bolted on better....

[gulliBell]

It seems the rotor blades fell off, that be sure to ruin your day.

I fell off the helideck quite a few times with the Travira pilots on their recurrent simulator checks. I'm very glad that didn't happen for real on this occasion.

[212man]

It was certainly close!

[Marv]

Yikes. Must have been a very strong wind.

[gulliBell]

At least they are very nicely pointed into the wind. Don't think the floats would have helped much if they fell off the side and into the sea.

[Nescafe]

Don't think the floats would have helped much if they fell off the side and into the sea

It would have kept the wreckage afloat so that the investigators could confirm there were no mechanical faults. 😉

[gulliBell]

Investigators? Oh right, playing comedian for the day!

[212man]

Originally Posted by gulliBell

Investigators? Oh right, playing comedian for the day!

Yes - the same ones who blamed the crew for automation misuse in their preliminary report into PK-FUP, thereby denying the industry the knowledge that the flight controls can disengage in flight, which might have led to the recommendations and ADs being put in place before the fatal accident in Nigeria later in the year!

[gulliBell]

I'm surprised this sort of thing (PK-helicopters flinging bits and pieces all over the place in the manner described) doesn't happen more often. Said flinging of bits and pieces happens frequently in the simulator where thankfully the magic reset button can restore normal operation. Unfortunately there is no reset button for what we see in the photo above. Probably not worth salvaging it so might as well do a proper job of it and push it over the side. It's gonna need a lot of time in the miracle room to fix that one, might as well write it off and buy a new (i.e. used) one. Used C++'s are real cheap now. Much cheaper than fixing a seriously busted one.

[212man]

Originally Posted by gulliBell

I'm surprised this sort of thing (PK-helicopters flinging bits and pieces all over the place in the manner described) doesn't happen more often. Said flinging of bits and pieces happens frequently in the simulator where thankfully the magic reset button can restore normal operation. Unfortunately there is no reset button for what we see in the photo above. Probably not worth salvaging it so might as well do a proper job of it and push it over the side. It's gonna need a lot of time in the miracle room to fix that one, might as well write it off and buy a new (i.e. used) one. Used C++'s are real cheap now. Much cheaper than fixing a seriously busted one.

I was sat at the simulator IOS once watching a crew 'perform' (in more ways than one!) and thereafter recalled having had a thought. Years later I was clearing out junk in the house, and came across a note pad I had been using during that session, with a note at the top right corner circled - "note to self, never fly Garuda!"

[gulliBell]

Oh yeah. I have the same note in my note pad.

[RINKER]

Very considerate of them to leave room for the next landing.
R

[212man]

Originally Posted by RINKER

Very considerate of them to leave room for the next landing.
R

For the repair team…..

[gulliBell]

Just to be clear, that be the repair team for the helideck...

[WLM]

Rumour around here is dynamic rollover

[gulliBell]

Originally Posted by WLM

Rumour around here is dynamic rollover

Things sure got dynamic when it rolled over. First time for everything, I guess. There was a C+ in Macau which rollover over, but he was parked in the hangar when that happened so much less dynamic.

[Bellicose]

The truth

Originally Posted by gulliBell

Things sure got dynamic when it rolled over. First time for everything, I guess. There was a C+ in Macau which rollover over, but he was parked in the hangar when that happened so much less dynamic.

In the case of the Macau C+ the use of an unapproved cleaning agent caused a rod-end to corrode and fail. It was part of the transfer/link cross tube between the 2 main legs and from memory there was an open door that acted as a stop to prevent the aircraft from ending up on its side.
Not quite a rollover over.