The Airbus Helicopters AS 350B1 was on a powerline inspection flight in northern Norway when the helicopter became entangled in an unmarked line; a rotor blade cut the cable, and the pilot conducted an emergency landing in a nearby marsh, according to the Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority (NSIA).
“[O]nly coincidence prevented this incident from becoming a fatal accident,” the NSIA said in its final report on the Sept. 6, 2021, serious incident. “The way the helicopter caught the power cable, and the commander’s manoeuvring after he became aware of it reduced the scope and consequences of the incident.”
Neither the pilot nor any of the three passengers — all employees of the power company — was injured in the incident, but the rotor blade, tail boom case, and skids were damaged.
The NSIA report said that “inadequate preparation by the helicopter operator, planning and performance, the poor visibility of the line, and the pilot’s limited e…
