Description

On 28th April 1999, an AS-355 helicopter suffered an in-flight fire attributed to an electrical fault which had originated from a prior maintenance error undetected during incomplete pre-flight inspections. The aircraft carried out an immediate landing allowing evacuation before the aircraft was destroyed by an intense fire.

Summary

The following is an extract of the summary from the official TSB (Canada) Aviation Investigation Report:

"The…AS355…had completed a routine gas pipeline patrol and was returning to Fairview, Alberta… at about 800 ft above ground, the red battery temperature light illuminated on the warning panel. The pilot… turned off the battery. About three minutes later… the helicopter lost all electrical power and the cabin and cockpit began to fill with smoke and fumes. The pilot… accomplished an emergency landing at once on a …field… both occupants evacuated the helicopter without further incident or injury… the helicopter was subsequently destroyed by an intense ground fire."

The report makes the following findings: