Oil rig chopper down at sea (March, 2009)

[Tim]

unconfirmed at this point, but one of the rig choppers apparently went down off YYT with 18 on board within the last hour

no word on survivors, but a king air is on scene and has spotted 2 people

again, totally unconfirmed, heard from a buddy who heard it on the radio

METAR CYYT 121300Z 18017G22KT 15SM -SHSN OVC006 M00/M04 A2987 RMK SF8
PRESFR SLP122=

SPECI CYYT 121226Z 18016G21KT 15SM -SHSN BKN007 OVC080 M01/ RMK
SF6AC2=

METAR CYYT 121200Z 19014G22KT 15SM FEW011 OVC080 M01/M05 A2993 RMK
SC2AC6 SLP142=

METAR CYYT 121100Z 19013G19KT 15SM OVC110 M01/M06 A2998 RMK AC8
SLP160=

edit, wrong metar

[jeta1]

Cougar Helicopters is preparing a statement according to CBC news.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/newfoundland-l ... opter.html

[stickhog]

Helicopter Crashes - Mar 12, 2009

A helicopter ferrying rig workers to the Hibernia oil field off
Newfoundland has crashed into the ocean, about 90 kms miles east
southeast of St.John's. Search and Rescue Halifax has confirmed that a
mayday was picked up first by Gander just after 9:00 this morning. There
were 18 people on board the Cougar chopper, and Search and Rescue
confirms that two people and one life raft have been spotted in the
water. A Hercules aircraft and four Cormorant rescue helicopters are on
their way to the site as well as a coast guard ship and a supply ship.
Spokesperson Jeri Grychowski says winds are fairly strong in the area
with two to three metre waves. VOCM News is tracking the story and will
have details as they become available.

http://www.vocm.com/news-info.asp?id=34811

[Tim]

Crews were searching Thursday for 18 people who had been aboard a helicopter that crashed in the Atlantic Ocean, east of Newfoundland.

Lt. David Bowen, a Halifax-based official with military search and rescue, told CBC News that two persons and a life-raft were spotted in the water, about 87 kilometres southeast of Newfoundland.

"We don't have any further information on the raft itself," Bowen told CBC News.

He said a mayday call was issued at 9:18 a.m. NT, or 7:48 a.m. ET.

High winds were reported as aircraft — including a Hercules plane sent from Nova Scotia and four Cormorant helicopters — were dispatched to the scene.

The coast guard has also sent one of its ships, and companies active in the offshore oil industry have joined the effort. A supply ship was also en route to the scene.

Further details are expected Thursday.

Cougar Helicopters, which operates the choppers that fly to and from the three oilfields in production off Newfoundland, said it is preparing a statement.

Cougar 911 usually flies crews to and from the Hibernia platform, about 315 kilometres southeast of St. John's, and St. John's International Airport.

[jeta1]

comment removed - time expired

[sky's the limit]

Oh shit....


I'm very sorry to hear this, if anyone gets name of either the crew or passengers a PM would be great as I have friends on both sides of things there.


stl

[r22captain]

STL I'm wairting to hear as well....I'll keep you posted

news conference starting nowhttp://www.cbc.ca/nl/live/cougar/

[Prairie Chicken]

I know some of the crews and possibly pax as well. I'd also appreciate any info.

Just listening to the news briefing ... 1 rescued & in hospital ... no sign of 17 others. 2 liferafts were deployed but they don't know if anyone in them yet. PAL B200 on site within 10-15 minutes & reported the S92 was floating upside down, now it has sunk. A/c was o/b with 14 for the Sea Rose & 2 for Hibernia, plus 2 crew. The crew reported a "technical malfunction" and was returning to YYT when she went down.

[2milefinal]

~deleted~

[gasper]

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/CHI91

Flightaware output showing aircraft turned around and headed back to YYT.

[gasper]

[Prairie Chicken]

Two life rafts recovered ... empty. Latest from JRCC. Wx at least is descent ... good viz. This is really sounding bad.

Media says the one in hospital is critical but stable.

[Old fella]

This isn't good............ expect the worst.

[tesox2]

My most sincere condolences to the friends, family and people directly involved. A very sad day for an operation I have great respect for...I have been a controller for their flights for 7 years now and always been impressed with their professional flight operations. I am totally shocked.

[gasper]

At the news conference, they mentioned that the survivor suits have the potential to protect the passengers for up to 30 hours. (In a later statement, they refined this somewhat in saying that based on a 30-year old male, survivability was around 24 Hours).

I would think that survival could be possible if the aircraft had minimal impact damage in a controlled ditching and egress was not impeded.

I am hoping for the safety & best for all concerned!

[PT6-114A]

if anyone can PM the names of the crew that would be great. Have a good friend that flys for them. Thanks.

[r22captain]

Gasper, be careful of the facts you take from the media regarding things such as flightsuits.

I can't speak for cougar, but in YHZ, CHC's flightsuits were infact survival suits but a different colour (navy blue) then the pax's hellyhansen's (bright orange)

I put my money on the fact it was mandatory for the flightcrew to be wearing a survival suit. To the media/eyewitness they would say that the wasn't wearing one because of the assumtion that that all survival suits are orange.

[PT6-114A]

The pilots DO where survival suits they are blue.

[Widow]

Blue? That's not very visible in the water/from the air ...

My heart goes out to everyone effected. There is still a chance of more survivors ... *fingers crossed*

[sky's the limit]

Gasper, be careful of the facts you take from the media regarding things such as flightsuits.

I can't speak for cougar, but in YHZ, CHC's flightsuits were infact survival suits but a different colour (navy blue) then the pax's hellyhansen's (bright orange)

I put my money on the fact it was mandatory for the flightcrew to be wearing a survival suit. To the media/eyewitness they would say that the wasn't wearing one because of the assumtion that that all survival suits are orange.

Agreed,

Can't see ANY way the crews were not wearing them, as CHC crews have them on year round out of Halifax.

I'm just hoping that by some stroke of luck a couple more are plucked from the water. Having been through under-water egress training, and having flown out over open ocean, I can't imagine how difficult it would have been for the pax to navigate out of the machine if it went turtle immediately.

Fingers are crossed on this one.

stl

[Tim]

widow, very good point about the colour of flt suits

does anyone know if theres any sort of chemical or smoke released if the suits are submerged?

shitty day for the rig workers, families, cougar and the rest of us

a water ditch is such a terrifying prospect

[Tim]

are the suits flotation suits or dry suits that have a pull tab, etc to activate a life vest part of it?

trying to get out from an upside-down, flooded cabin would be near impossible with a flotation suit, correct?

[carholme]

Just had a long phone conversation with the east coast and having watched the press conference earlier on, I felt so bad for Rick Burt as I know he is taking it very hard.

Comments about fllight crews not wearing their suits and rotor blade icing, 4/5 hours after the reports of the accident are to be expected by the ill informed and are in poor tatse. But after all, it is AvCanada.

carholme

[cggnl]

Here is the CADORS regarding the crash:

Occurrence InformationOccurrence Type: Accident Occurrence Date: 2009/03/12
Occurrence Time: 1215 Z Day Or Night: day-time
Fatalities: 1 Injuries:

Canadian Aerodrome ID: Aerodrome Name:
Occurrence Location: 472605N515658W Province:
Country: CANADA World Area: North America

Reported By: NAV CANADA AOR Number: 105029-V1
TSB Class Of Investigation: 3 TSB Occurrence No.:
Event InformationCollision with terrain
Diversion
Engine oil problem
Forced landing
Aircraft InformationFlight #: CHI91
Aircraft Category: Helicopter Country of Registration: CANADA
Make: SIKORSKY Model: S92A
Year Built: 2006 Amateur Built: No
Engine Make: GENERAL ELECTRIC Engine Model: CT7-8A
Engine Type: Turbo shaft Gear Type: Land
Phase of Flight: Cruise Damage: Destroyed
Owner: COUGAR HELICOPTERS INC. Operator: COUGAR HELICOPTERS INC. (4791)
Operator Type: Commercial

Detail InformationUser Name: MacQuarrie, Jack
Date: 2009/03/12
Further Action Required: Yes
O.P.I.: Maintenance & Manufacturing
Narrative: CHI91, S92, enroute from St. John’s (CYYT) to the Hibernia Oil Platform at 12:15Z, declared MAYDAY due to a main gear box oil pressure problem and requested to return to St. John’s. Air Traffic Control cleared the flight as requested. At 12:25Z aircraft ditched at position 472605N515658W.

Please note that for the most part, CADORS reports contain preliminary, unconfirmed data which can be subject to change.

[ettw]

Question: If you loose main gear box oil pressure, how long do you typically have before the machine must be landed? Will the loss of oil pressure cause a catastrophic failure of the gear box precluding the possibility of a controlled landing?

Hoping for the best,

ETTW