The pilots of an Airspan Helicopters Bell 212 encountered stronger-than-expected turbulence and wind shear that caused their loss of control and the helicopter’s No. 2 engine to shut down shortly before it crashed during an attempted emergency landing, according to the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB).
The pilots were seriously injured in the March 5, 2021, crash on Bowen Island, British Columbia, Canada, and the helicopter was substantially damaged.
In its final report on the accident, the TSB cited a chain of causes and contributing factors, including weather conditions that were “conducive to severe mechanical turbulence, lee waves and low-level wind shear along the helicopter’s flight path.”
The accident flight departed at 0935 local time from Sechelt Aerodrome for the flight to a staging area in Cypress Provincial Park, about 21 nm (39 km) to the east to complete longline work as part of a multi-day project for an electric utility.
Before departure, …
