Weather conditions near New Zealand’s Fox Glacier were “unstable and unsuitable” for a sightseeing flight when an Airbus Helicopters AS350 BA departed from the nearby base for a planned 20-minute flight. The helicopter crashed onto the glacier minutes later, killing the pilot and all six passengers.
The New Zealand Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) said, in its final report on the Nov. 21, 2015, accident, that the pilot likely lost awareness of the helicopter’s height above the glacier “until it was too late to avoid a collision.”
The report said the pilot had “not been properly trained and did not have the appropriate level of experience” for the flight, and that the operator’s training system was “ill-defined” and not in full compliance with Civil Aviation Rules.
In addition, the report said, although the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) had identified “significant noncompliance issues” with the operator’s training system and manage…
