A helicopter crash on Bowen Island, British Columbia, that sent two people to hospital with serious injuries last year was the result of bad weather that created severe turbulence, the Transportation Safety Board found.
The Bell 212 helicopter of Airspan Helicopters Ltd. crashed during an emergency landing on Gulf Island on March 5, 2021, during a flight from Sechelt to Cypress Provincial Park. Both occupants survived but had to be airlifted to hospital.
A witness at the time told The Canadian Press that he watched the helicopter flip upside down before crashing near Mount Gardner Dock, on the north side of the island, after the pilot attempted to land in a field.
On Thursday the Transport Safety Board (TSB) published the results of its investigation into what happened, revealing that environmental conditions and some limitations of the plane’s systems contributed to the crash.
“The pilots were aware of the forecast weather, low-level wind shear and mechanical turbulence, but decided to continue with the day’s planned flights based on the improvement in the weather forecast later in the day, the desire to complete the operational flight and the observation that other aircraft were operating around Sechelt Airport,” TSB said in a written statement.
At some point during the flight, the crew encountered wind shear and suddenly lost control of the helicopter, according to the TSB report. When they regained control, the number 2 engine quit unexpectedly, possibly due to a hydraulic system malfunction, and the flight controls became very difficult to manipulate.
WATCH: A Bowen Island resident witnessed the moment the helicopter crashed
A helicopter crashed on Bowen Island
Island resident Tony Mainwaring captured video of a helicopter crash on Friday, March 5. The two people in the helicopter were transported to a hospital in serious but stable condition.
The crew decided to attempt an emergency landing at Bowen, but the aircraft encountered severe turbulence during the descent. The main rotor blades began flapping wildly, severing the tail rotor drive shaft.
The helicopter then began an unstoppable rapid turn to the right and finally crashed into the forest on a rocky ridge.
According to the TSB statement, Airspan has since taken “several actions” to prevent similar incidents in the future.
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