Final Report S92 (LN-ONT), vicinity Maersk Invincible Platform North Sea, 24 February 2020

Final Report S92 (LN-ONT), vicinity Maersk Invincible Platform North Sea, 24 February 2020

Publication info
Author
NSIA (Norway)
Category
Accident Reports Loss of Control Human Factors Weather
Date of publication
15/02/2024

On 24 February 2020, a Sikorsky S92 crew departing at night from an oil rig platform in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea in adverse weather conditions temporarily lost pitch control of their helicopter after both pilots became spatially disorientated prior to reaching the minimum speed for autopilot engagement. Recovery was successful and the remainder of the flight was uneventful but the Investigation concluded that operator procedures were insufficiently robust and that helicopters engaged in offshore operations could usefully be equipped with low speed flight modes to mitigate the consequences of pilot spatial disorientation during low level manoeuvring. 

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