Video: Helicopter Crashes on Approach to Oil Rig

Published Apr 24, 2017 9:36 PM by The Maritime Executive

[Brief] On April 15, a Sikorsky S92 helicopter made contact with the topsides of the Sevan Brasil SS86 drilling rig during a landing approach. The pilot managed to make a controlled emergency landing despite damage to the tail.

A spokesman for operator CHC Helicopters confirmed the accident in comments to the Aberdeen Journal. "We can confirm that on April 15, 2017 at 4.35pm local time, an S92 (PR-CHR) experienced an emergency landing on the helideck of offshore platform SS86 in Brazil," the spokesman said in a statement. “The crew responded immediately in accordance with their training and successfully landed the aircraft. There were no reported injuries among the passengers or the crew." Sevan Drilling also confirmed the incident and said that rig operations had been temporarily suspended as a precautionary measure.

Brazilian accident investigation authority SERIPA will take the lead in an investigation. Sikorsky said that it would be working with investigators to find the root cause; Energy Voice reports that this particular helicopter had been fully inspected in accordance with two European Aviation Safety Agency airworthiness directives issued earlier this year.

The modern SS86 ultradeepwater rig is currently on a six-year contract for Petrobras, and is deployed in Brazil's Santos pre-salt basin. It is one of four rigs built to the Sevan 650 cylindrical design.