Safety overhaul after 13 deaths in helicopter crash

AIR accident investigators have made 12 safety recommendations in the wake of an offshore helicopter crash that killed 13 people, including one Scot.

The Airbus EC225 Super Puma, which was transporting oil workers, came down off Norway after the main rotor blades detached from the airframe.

All on board, including Iain Stuart, 41, from Laurencekirk, Aberdeenshire, died in the accident on April 29, 2016.

Norwegian crash investigators released a report yesterday making the safety recommendations to the helicopter maker and the European air watchdog. The investigation found that a ‘fatigue fracture’ in the main gearbox was behind the accident but it was ‘unlikely’ to have been picked up by aircraft sensors and maintenance routines.

They said the accident had ‘clear similarities’ to an Airbus helicopter crash off Scotland in 2009 in which 16 men died.

Despite this, the later accident was not believed to have been preventable. The report said: ‘This [2009] accident was also identified to be the result of fatigue fracture in a second stage planet gear, however, the post-investigation actions were not sufficient to prevent another main rotor loss.’

The aircraft have since had a flight ban lifted in the UK and Norway after a safety overhaul but face opposition to a return to service from oil workers.

Airbus Helicopters expressed its ‘deep regret’ over the accident and said: ‘Airbus Helicopters welcomes the conclusion of the investigation and takes note of the findings.’

Unite union regional officer Tommy Campbell said: ‘The report’s findings will reinforce the stand taken by offshore workers that the North Sea must remain Super Puma free.’