Fri, Feb 11, 2011
Uses The Report To Push For Improved Helicopter Safety
Pushing a series of four key reforms to improve helicopter
safety, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada released its
final report into the fatal 2009 crash of Cougar Flight 91 off the
coast of Newfoundland Wednesday. "We want the legacy of this
accident to be a safer system for all those who fly over water,"
said Board Chair Wendy Tadros. "We know what happened that day; our
goal now is to make sure helicopter safety is improved, from
takeoff to touchdown."
The report which highlights a complex web of 16 factors, states
that Flight 91 ran into trouble when titanium studs broke on the
main gearbox filter bowl. This led to a total loss of oil, which 11
minutes later ultimately brought the helicopter down. Although
upgrades have since been made to all S-92A's worldwide, Tadros said
the Board's final report goes further, citing specific concerns
about certification standards, and whether helicopters should be
able to operate longer following a massive loss of oil. "All S-92A
helicopters should be able to 'run-dry' for at least 30 minutes.
That's key. In addition, we want the FAA to look at today's
operating environments—Hibernia, the Arctic, the North Sea,
any of these extreme locations—and decide whether even 30
minutes is enough time."
Sikorsky S-92 File Photo
Tadros said the Board also focused on passenger survival over
Canada's often hostile waters. "If the sea state is too rough for a
successful emergency ditching, then a helicopter shouldn't be
operating. Period. In addition, we're calling for emergency air
supply on all helicopter flights that require survival suits, not
just those off Newfoundland." Flight 91, which was taking workers
to the offshore Hibernia oil production platform, went down
approximately 35 nautical miles from St. John's. Only one person
survived.
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