Airbus Helicopter Crash Probe Narrows In on Component Failure -- Update

By Robert Wall 

Norwegian investigators probing the crash of an Airbus Group SE helicopter off the west coast of Norway in April are focusing on possible failures of some components linked to the rotor system.

The Accident Investigation Board Norway, or AIBN, on Friday said failure of the housing of the main gearbox, a gear called the epicyclic module and a suspension bar that helps hold the rotor in place are being considered as possible causes for the April 29 crash of the Airbus EC225, also called the Super Puma.

Airbus late Friday said only the failure of the suspension bar seemed a probable scenario given current evidence. However, the helicopter maker added that it was still unknown what might have caused such a failure.

The chopper flown by CHC Helicopter Services crashed en route to Norway's Bergen Airport from Statoil ASA's Gullfaks B oil field, killing all 13 people onboard.

Air-accident investigators said discussions with Airbus representatives led them to focus on those parts. They are facing obstacles to determining what happened to the helicopter, as some parts considered vital to the probe still haven't been recovered, the AIBN said.

Data from the helicopter's so called black box showed everything normal during the flight until a catastrophic failure occurred within 1 second to 2 seconds, causing the rotor to detach.

The French air-accident office, the BEA, which is aiding the probe was able to extract additional information from another memory unit to glean further data, the AIBN said, and this is now being analyzed.

Some of the wreckage that has been collected is being subjected to detailed metallurgical assessment, the AIBN said, adding those efforts are at an early stage. "So far, these examinations have not identified a conclusive primary cause of the accident."

Norwegian and British air-safety regulators imposed a ban on all EC225 passenger flights, though Airbus said it saw no reason to ground the model.

Airbus and the European Aviation Safety Agency have since called for emergency inspections of EC225 helicopters.

Airbus EC225s have been involved in previous incidents linked to problems with the main gearbox. However, Airbus said early evidence suggest last month's accident had a different cause, based on its investigators' findings.

CHC Group, which was financially struggling already before the crash, on May 5 filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

Write to Robert Wall at [e-mail]

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

May 27, 2016 19:02 ET (23:02 GMT)

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