The Transportation Safety Board of Canada says the fatal crash of a logging transport helicopter in British Columbia was caused when the helicopter’s rotor system broke in flight.

A final board report says that on October 4, 2021, the Kaman K-1200 pilot dropped a load of logs into Jervis Inlet on BC’s south coast, returned to pick up another load, then crashed into the water . and sank.

The K-1200 has rotors on both sides of the fuselage, and the investigation found that a blade on the left rotor collided with a blade on the right rotor.

Investigators say a fracture in one of the aircraft’s joints led to a “fatigue crack” that progressed until a piece separated in flight, causing sudden vibrations and flapping of the rotor blades and failure of the left spar structure, allowing the blades to strike . .

The final report says TSB issued an air safety advisory to Transport Canada in 2023 saying there needs to be further examination of servo flap fractures on Kaman K-1200 helicopters after at least two fatal accidents involving fatigue fractures and “catastrophic failure”.

Transport Canada is said to have responded that the United States Federal Aviation Administration is responsible for the airworthiness of these helicopters and Canada was satisfied with the manufacturer’s current instructions for maintaining airworthiness.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on October 30, 2024