Report on aviation incident near Songesand in Sandnes, Rogaland 16 November 2020 involving Airbus Helicopters AS 350 B3, LN-OAX
Aviation report 2025/01
The helicopter LN-OAX crashed on Monday 16 November 2020. The accident occurred in connection with the delivery of concrete for casting a foundation for a power line mast. The NSIA believes the pilot lost control of the helicopter when a phenomenon known as rotorcraft-pilot coupling (RPC) occurred, causing strong vertical oscillations.
At the pylon foundation, the pilot had to make an altitude correction. The pilot’s altitude correction may have been due to a gust of wind, the fact that the concrete bucket came into contact with the mast foundation, or a combination of the these.
The phenomenon arose very quickly, and the pilot had neither the time nor the altitude to regain control before the helicopter crashed.
Published 11.02.2025
Facts
| Location | Sognesand, Sandnes Municipality, Rogaland County, Norway |
| Occurrence date | 16.11.2020 |
| Aircraft | Airbus Helicopter AS 350 B3 Ecureuil |
| Operator | Heli-Team AS |
| Registration | LN-OAX |
| Meteorological conditions | VMC |
| County | Rogaland |
| Type of occurrence | Accident |
| Type of operation | Commercial, other |
| Category of operation | Light, helicopter (<= 2 250kg) |
| Aircraft category | Helicopter, Single-engine, Turboprop/turboshaft |
| FIR/AOR | ENSV (Stavanger ATCC) |