Description

On 23 August 2013, a Eurocopter AS 332 L2 Super Puma helicopter being operated by CHC Scotia on a contract commercial passenger flight from the Borgsten Dolphin drilling platform to Aberdeen was about to complete a non precision approach to runway 09 at Sumburgh in day Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC) when, already below the applicable instrument approach minima, a sudden and rapid descent from low altitude occurred which resulted in the helicopter striking the sea surface about 1.7nm west of the airport. The airframe became inverted on impact but remained afloat. Four of the 18 occupants died and 14 survived, three of whom, including the aircraft commander, sustained serious injuries. The airframe subsequently broke up and became partially submerged.

Investigation

An Investigation was carried out by the UK AAIB. Recovery of significant parts of the wreckage including the tail boom containing the Combined Voice and Flight Data Recorder (CVFDR) was completed on 29 August. The CVFDR was found to contain a complete record of the accident flight and some items of avionics equipment, identified as containing potentially useful Non Volatile Memory content were retrieved from the recovered wreckage and their data recovered. A radar record of the approach was available which was found to continue until just before impact.