"The report outlines how control was lost "when an attempt was made to flare the helicopter and transition from forward flight to a hover. "The helicopter impacted the taxiway surface with significant downward force and forward momentum. It sustained substantial damage but remained upright and continued along the taxiway before coming to a stop at the airport's east apron." The impact damaged the left main undercarriage, sheared the torque link of the nose landing gear and caused significant structural damage to the helicopter."
"The investigation determined that the probable cause of the accident was loss of control in flight "due to the collective pitch lever movement being restricted by a portable power bank device which was unsecured in the cockpit". The report reads that earlier in the morning the pilot put their power bank - used to charge both passenger and crew mobile phones - on the aircraft's centre console. However, during the flight the device slipped into a space between the pilot's seat and the console."
A Eurocopter EC 155 B lost control while landing at Shannon Airport at 05:10 on 15 September 2022, impacted the taxiway, and sustained substantial structural damage. The helicopter remained upright, continued along the taxiway, and stopped at the east apron. The sole pilot steered the helicopter before colliding with cargo trailers and ground personnel; there were no injuries and no fire. The probable cause was loss of control due to the collective pitch lever movement being restricted by an unsecured portable power bank that slipped between the pilot's seat and the centre console. The power bank measured 185 mm × 125 mm × 20 mm and weighed 622 grammes.
Read at Irish Independent
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