Air transportation safety investigation A24P0045

Table of contents

    Loss of control in flight
    Aberdeen Helicopters Ltd.
    Aerospatiale AS 350 BA helicopter, C-FXEJ
    Vernon Airport (CYVK), British Columbia

    The occurrence

    On , an Aerospatiale AS 350 BA helicopter, operated by Aberdeen Helicopters Ltd., took off from Vernon Airport, British Columbia, on a visual flight rules training flight, with 2 crew members and 1 passenger on board.

    After a short time in flight, the helicopter’s hydraulics were shut off to accommodate the training exercise. A few minutes later, the helicopter began to pitch nose-down.

    The pilots were able to mitigate, but not stop, the nose-down attitude, resulting in the helicopter colliding with the ground and coming to rest in an upright position.

    While the aircraft was substantially damaged by the impact, no injuries were reported. The TSB is investigating.

    Investigation information

    Map showing the location of the occurrence

    A24P0045

    Loss of control in flight
    Aberdeen Helicopters Ltd.
    Aerospatiale AS 350 BA helicopter, C-FXEJ
    Vernon Airport (CYVK), British Columbia

    Investigator-in-charge

    Image
    Photo of Todd Pezer

    Todd Pezer joined the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) in 2023 as a Senior Regional Investigator – Operations (Air) and works for the Pacific Region in Vancouver, British Columbia.

    He holds a current airline transport pilot’s license and has accumulated over 4000 hours of flight time with experience in training, cargo, airline, and executive aircraft such as the B1900, Lear 75, and Citation X. Prior to joining the TSB, Mr. Pezer gained extensive training experience, earning numerous International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) certifications and a master’s degree in learning and technology. 

    Photos

    Image
    The Aerospatiale AS 350 BA helicopter operated by Aberdeen Helicopters Ltd. following accident at occurrence site (Source: Third party, with permission)

      Download high-resolution photos from the TSB Flickr page.

    Class of investigation

    This is a class 4 investigation. These investigations are limited in scope, and while the final reports may contain limited analysis, they do not contain findings or recommendations. Class 4 investigations are generally completed within 220 days. For more information, see the Policy on Occurrence Classification.

    TSB investigation process

    There are 3 phases to a TSB investigation

    1. Field phase: a team of investigators examines the occurrence site and wreckage, interviews witnesses and collects pertinent information.
    2. Examination and analysis phase: the TSB reviews pertinent records, tests components of the wreckage in the lab, determines the sequence of events and identifies safety deficiencies. When safety deficiencies are suspected or confirmed, the TSB advises the appropriate authority without waiting until publication of the final report.
    3. Report phase: a confidential draft report is approved by the Board and sent to persons and corporations who are directly concerned by the report. They then have the opportunity to dispute or correct information they believe to be incorrect. The Board considers all representations before approving the final report, which is subsequently released to the public.

    For more information, see our Investigation process page.

    The TSB is an independent agency that investigates air, marine, pipeline, and rail transportation occurrences. Its sole aim is the advancement of transportation safety. It is not the function of the Board to assign fault or determine civil or criminal liability.