The case in summary There have been three serious incidents with the Sikorsky S-92 helicopter since 2020, despite the fact that it is considered the safest type of helicopter in the North Sea. The incidents include engine failure, loss of oil pressure and a large oil leak. One person died after a Sikorsky S-92 helicopter crashed into the sea outside Sotra. The Accident Investigation Board is working to find the cause of the accidents in order to make the helicopter type even safer. The Sikorsky S-92 is practically dominant in offshore helicopter traffic in Norway. Oil workers express concern, but have confidence that operators are doing their best for safety. One woman in her 60s has died after a Sikorsky S-92 helicopter crashed into the sea outside Sotra on Wednesday evening. All six on board were hoisted up and transported to Haukeland University Hospital. This was the journey of the NORSAR6 helicopter. Timeline: The helicopter crash west of Sotra This is what happened with the helicopter that crashed west of Sotra in Vestland. The newest updates are at the top of the timeline. The map shows where the helicopter flew before it crashed. The helicopter took off at Bergen airport, Flesland. Furthermore, the helicopter flew west and up the Hjeltfjord before it flew south and crashed west of Sotra. Below the map is the timeline with the latest news about the helicopter crash. The police say they believe that the trip recorder, also called “the black box”, on the helicopter will be found, but that the job is challenging due to high waves and strong winds. The six people who were on board the helicopter were wearing survival suits, say the police. The CEO of Equinor states that the deceased woman was a nurse at work to look after others. All helicopter flights to and from the heliport are canceled until 6 p.m. ConocoPhillips flights are canceled until further notice. There are also the flights for Aker BP. Vest police district states that it was a woman in her 60s, seen in Equinor, who died in the accident. The other five in the helicopter were employed in Bristow. The head of the Norwegian Aviation Accident Investigation Board says that they believe the wreck lies at a depth of 300 metres. Haukeland University Hospital informs X that one person is critically injured, one seriously injured and three lightly injured. The National Accident Investigation Board for Aviation starts work after the helicopter accident. The aim is to find the main part of the wreckage and then raise it from there. Photo: The rescue company The police confirmed on Thursday morning that a search was carried out throughout the night for the helicopter that crashed. Photo: Coast Guard / NTB The police confirm that one person has died. Another is slightly injured, while the remaining four have varying degrees of damage. The police set up a reception for relatives. The lifeboat has started to find wreckage. They are looking for more parts. The rescue operation is over. Haukeland University Hospital confirms that they have received six people. The condition is unclear. Photo: Kjell Jøran Hansen / news The sixth and last person is lifted from the sea by the rescue helicopter from Florø and taken to the hospital. news can confirm that the Accident Investigation Board is in the process of staffing up. The rescue helicopter, with the first five people who were picked up from the sea, lands at Haukeland University Hospital in Bergen. The police confirm that there has been an aviation accident in the sea west of Sotra in Vestland. Øygarden municipality receives notification of the helicopter crash. They saw emergency staff. Persons are observed in the sea and hoisting starts. The persons must have a doctor in the sea for 45-50 minutes. The police receive a report of a helicopter being flown west of Sotra. The main rescue center cannot make contact with the helicopter. Haukeland Hospital set the alert level to yellow. Two air ambulances and a rescue helicopter from the Norwegian Armed Forces move out. The coastguard, a lifeboat and a rescue helicopter from Florø are on the way. The main rescue center asks the air traffic controller in Avinor to check if they can make contact with the helicopter. At 19.47 they receive feedback that they cannot make contact over the radio. The helicopter hits the water. An emergency message is then sent out via an emergency bearing transmitter in the helicopter. The message comes to the Main Rescue Center in Southern Norway. Boats in the area are asked to look for a helicopter on its way to the lake. HRS Northern Norway is informed that a personal emergency direction finder, of the type worn by helicopter crew in a rescue helicopter, has been activated. The position of this is in the same area as the emergency bearing transmitter of the helicopter. The helicopter probably loses radar contact, according to Aircraftregister.net. The helicopter is completing an exercise with a ship from Wilson Shipping on behalf of Equinor. The helicopter flies west. The helicopter takes off from Bergen airport, Flesland. Show more Will fly with the same helicopter today Oil worker Espen Bjørge is stuck on the heliport at Stavanger Airport on Thursday. Equinor has stopped all helicopter traffic until further notice. He is scheduled to fly a Sikorsky S-92 to an oil platform. – My family and I are worried. But I reckon these operators are doing the best they can. This is the second time Espen Bjørge will fly with a helicopter model that has recently crashed. In connection with the accident on Turøy, where 13 people died – he flew three days later with the same type of helicopter. Photo: Tom Edvindsen / news The original departure was at 11.15, but it has been postponed to 18.00. Bjørge admits that he did not sleep well last night. – You don’t feel safe when you have to sit in a helicopter of the same type that crashed the day before, he says. – Safe helicopter – These are safe helicopters. I am not aware that serious incidents are common for this type, says John Kristoffersen of the Norwegian Aviation Association. He is a leader in the aviation safety commission and recalls that the Sikorsky helicopters are used more than other helicopters. The Sikorsky S-92 is practically dominant in offshore helicopter traffic in Norway. – We see no trend with the accident that happened yesterday, says Kristoffersen. John Kristoffersen is chairman of the flight safety commission in the Norwegian Aviation Association. Photo: Simen Follesø Røiseland / Norwegian Aviation Association Talks about the accident at a trade fair in the USA The world’s largest helicopter trade fair “Hai Heli-expo” (external link) is currently underway in California. Everything from manufacturers, operators and customers within the industry is gathered there, according to head of LO’s helicopter committee Henrik Fjeldsbø. – The accident outside Sotra is what people here are talking about. The reactions are shock and disbelief because it was not expected that this would happen, says Fjeldsbø. Leader of LO’s helicopter committee, Henrik Fjeldsbø. Photo: Arild Eskeland / news He calls the Sikorsky S-92 a solid workhorse that has more than 2.3 million flight hours in the North Sea. – The helicopter has been a good helicopter and is a good helicopter. There have been no fatal accidents with this type of helicopter in the past in Norway. Heard a loud bang Since 2020, there have been three serious incidents with the same model, according to the Accident Investigation Board. It was Bergens Tidende that first reported on this (external link). This despite the fact that, according to the Pilots’ Association, the type of helicopter is considered to be the safest in the North Sea. Last summer, the crew of a Sikorsky S-92 heard a loud bang. The helicopter’s left engine failed shortly after takeoff from an oil platform on the Ekofisk field. An emergency message was sent, and the helicopter flew on one engine to Stavanger Airport. The investigation revealed that the shaft between the compressor and the gas generator turbine had separated. All twelve bolts connecting these together had fallen off. Problems with oil pressure In September 2020, a helicopter of the same type was returning to Stavanger Airport after a flight to the West Elara oil platform in the North Sea. During the descent, the crew received several warning lights about loss of oil pressure and rising oil temperatures in the helicopter’s main gearbox. The crew sent out an emergency message, but managed to take the helicopter to Sola and land there. No people were injured. A large oil leak had occurred on the left side of the main gearbox. The Sikorsky S-92 is an American twin-engine helicopter. The S-92 flew for the first time on 23 December 1998, and the first helicopters were delivered from 2004. Photo: AP Exactly one year later, another incident occurred with a loss of oil pressure on a Sikorsky helicopter. The helicopter had completed a training session and was on its way back to the Ekofisk field in the south of the North Sea. A sudden loss of oil pressure in the main gearbox meant that the crew had to immediately head for Ekofisk for a quick landing. The investigation afterwards showed that a coupling that operated one of the oil pumps was completely worn out. – Must find out what has happened Kristoffersen of the Norwegian Aviation Association now says that it is important to find out what has actually happened so that the helicopter can be safer. – The Accident Investigation Board has good conditions for finding the cause of this accident. There are survivors and they will be able to give an explanation to the Accident Investigation Board, he says. Kristoffersen says it is also important to find and raise the wreckage where the “black box” in the cockpit will tell what was said during the flight and from the flight tower. The coast guard is now searching for the wreckage of the helicopter that crashed outside Øygarden on Wednesday. Photo: Kystvakten / NTB It may take a long time to find the wreckage The National Accident Investigation Board for Aviation has already received a lot of information in connection with the helicopter accident. – Everyone who was involved in the rescue work was quickly on the line to us with information, says head of the Aviation Accident Investigation Agency, Kåre Halvorsen. Plans are now being made to find the wreckage and have it raised. – The weather is not so good, so we don’t know if it will take a short time or a long time to raise it, he says. Kåre Halvorsen is head of aviation at the Accident Investigation Board. He says they are looking for the helicopter. Photo: Oda Stine Hansen Viken / news In Bergen, the Accident Investigation Board will today speak to survivors at Haukeland University Hospital. The three incidents that have happened with the helicopter type in the past are not what the Accident Investigation Board attaches the most importance to at the start of the investigation. – If the information we collect with the help of data from the black box, the company and the survivors points in the direction of the three previous incidents, then that information will be important, says Halvorsen. – Want to learn from this Kristoffersen in the Norwegian Aviation Association wants to convey that Norwegian aviation is actually very safe. – The reason why Norwegian aviation generally has few accidents is thorough and good cooperation between all parties, says Kristoffersen. Kristoffersen explains that accidents like this will be used to learn and improve how we fly and improve Norwegian aviation. news has inquired with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency about whether the accident will have consequences for European helicopter traffic. “The investigation into the causes of this accident is just in its initial phase. EASA is in contact with the relevant authorities and is following the investigation closely. We will take any necessary measures when more information is available,” they write in an email.
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Three serious incidents with the same Sikorsky model – news Rogaland – Local news, TV and radio
