The TSB has completed this investigation. The report was published on 17 January 2015.
Engine power loss, emergency landing, and rollover
VIH Helicopters Ltd.
Kamov Ka-32, C-GKHL
Bella Coola, British Columbia, 25 nm E
The occurrence
The VIH Helicopters Ltd. Kamov Ka-32A11BC, (registration C-GKHL, serial number 31594) was carrying out fire suppression operations using a water bucket on a long line connected to the helicopter's external load belly hook. At about 1830 Pacific Daylight Time, just after the helicopter lifted a load of water out of a high altitude mountain lake, there was a loud bang followed by howling and grinding noise, and the helicopter began to shake severely. The pilot not flying released the external load (line and water bucket) and the pilot flying flew towards land for an emergency landing. The crew had difficulty keeping the helicopter pointed in the direction they were tracking, and the shaking was such that they could not see the instrument displays. The helicopter touched down while drifting sideways to the right with near-full left cyclic control input. The helicopter bounced and rolled onto its right side, and the main rotor blades contacted the ground and broke. The crew was able to shut down the engines and exit the aircraft with minor injuries. There was no fire. The 406 MHz emergency locator transmitter activated upon touchdown.
Media materials
News release
Manufacturing anomalies led to August 2013 helicopter engine power loss near Bella Coola, British Columbia
Read the news release
Investigation information
A13P0163
Engine power loss, emergency landing, and rollover
VIH Helicopters Ltd.
Kamov Ka-32, C-GKHL
Bella Coola, British Columbia, 25 nm E
Investigator-in-charge
Bill Yearwood got his first flying lessons on fixed-wing aircraft at 13 and was flying helicopters by the time he was 20. He holds an Airline Transport license, and has accumulated more than 10,000 flight hours in a wide variety of operations across Canada and in South America. These include: heli-logging, medevac, Arctic and offshore exploration, flight training and certification flight testing.
After 18 years of commercial flying, Mr. Yearwood joined Transport Canada in the Pacific region, where he worked as an Air Carrier Inspector and then as the Regional Manager of System Safety. During his time at Transport Canada he was a check pilot, helped draft the Canadian Aviation Regulations and helped perform audits of operations around the world.
Mr. Yearwood joined the TSB in 1999 as the Regional Manager and has worked as the Investigator-in-Charge on several aviation occurrences. He has worked diligently to improve safety in aviation, and is well known in the West Coast aviation community.
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Class of investigation
This is a class 3 investigation. These investigations analyze a small number of safety issues, and may result in recommendations. Class 3 investigations are generally completed within 450 days. For more information, see the Policy on Occurrence Classification.
TSB investigation process
There are 3 phases to a TSB investigation
- Field phase: a team of investigators examines the occurrence site and wreckage, interviews witnesses and collects pertinent information.
- 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.
- 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.