Helicopter Blade Breaks, Nearly Hits Oil Rig Worker in Scotland: High Winds Cause Chaos

“The lone deck crew member at the helicopter’s tail narrowly escaped being hit while fastening the last strap.”

During an attempt to secure a helicopter to a helipad amid gusty conditions, a blade detached and nearly struck an oil rig worker, a recent investigation revealed.

The incident involving an Airbus H175 helicopter occurred shortly after its arrival with six passengers at the Elgin Oil Platform, located approximately 135 nautical miles east of Aberdeen. The aircraft had landed just after 8am on February 17, 2023, under wind conditions reaching up to 60 knots, as stated in a report by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB).

As the crew prepared for the return flight, a cockpit warning prompted them to consult with engineers, leading to the decision to power down the aircraft.

Despite attempts to apply the rotor brake, it failed to fully engage, leaving the rotor blades turning slowly. The commander and two helideck team members struggled to secure the helicopter against the powerful winds.

By around 9.30am, three tie-down straps were in place, and as the fourth was being attached, one of the slowly rotating blades abruptly pitched upwards, partially breaking near the root. The broken section continued to spin, dangerously close to a deck crew member at the rear of the helicopter, who was in the process of securing the final strap.

The blade eventually broke off completely and plunged into the sea.

Deeming the situation too risky, the crew retreated to the safety of the rig’s accommodation block. Over the subsequent hour and 40 minutes, three more blades fractured and were later discovered on the helideck.

The helicopter sustained considerable damage, with multiple impact marks and structural damages, including a shattered window near the pilot’s seat and a missing external emergency door handle.

The investigation attributed the incident to several factors and issued six safety recommendations. It highlighted a morning incident where ground personnel noticed the rotor turning despite an engaged brake, which was not communicated to the engineering team for checks before departure.

Further examination revealed that organic debris had caused a brake pad to jam, preventing the brake from stopping the rotor under wind power.

The report also noted that while the measured wind speeds at the helipad were below the 60-knot threshold for helicopter operations, the configuration of the accommodation block led to significantly higher vertical wind speeds at the helipad’s windward edge, exacerbating the situation.

The phenomenon of “blade sailing,” where the wind caused the blades to bend upward until they snapped, was a critical factor in the incident.

Recommendations from the report include improving rotor brake maintenance procedures in the Airbus EC175 manual and revising wind measurement standards on rig helipads.