Investigation Into The Ditching Ongoing

The UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) said in a special bulletin released Thursday that "to date, no evidence of a causal technical failure has been identified" from an accident August 23 involving an AS332 L2 Super Puma in which four people were fatally injured.

Data from the aircraft's combined cockpit voice and data recorder indicates that the autopilot, localizer, and vertical speed modes were engaged for the approach. According to the data, the approach was proceeding normally until the aircraft was about two-and-a-half miles from the runway. "the airspeed continued to reduce to below 30 knots and as it did so the helicopter pitched increasingly nose-up. The rate of descent remained constant for a period before increasing rapidly. Shortly thereafter, the helicopter, which was intact, struck the sea in a near level pitch attitude with a slight right bank. Both engines were delivering power until impact."

Fourteen people survived the ditching. Flights of the Super Pumas resumed late last month, though the L2 model is currently not being used to transport passengers.

FMI: AAIB Report