Report on air accident at Svolvær airport Helle, Norway on 11 February 2018 involving Piper PA-28-161, LN-TOS
Aviation report 2019/10 eng
The flight from Svolvær to Tromsø was planned to be performed at night and according to visual flight rules (VFR). Just after departure from runway 01 the airplane began a right turn. While turning, the plane started to lose height and impacted the sea with great force approximately 360 meters from the airport. Both persons on board were found fatally injured shortly after the accident.
Several factors contributed to the accident. It was unusually dark that night and north of the airport there were few lights that could serve as visual references. Furthermore, the two on board were 79 and 63 years old respectively. It is known that the ability to adapt to night vision and light sensitivity decreases with increasing age.
Facts
| Location | Svolvær airport Helle (ENSH), Norway |
| Occurrence date | 11.02.2018 |
| ICAO Location indicator | ENSH |
| Aircraft | Piper PA-28 Cherokee/Arrow/Archer m.fl. |
| Operator | Tromsø Flyklubb |
| Registration | LN-TOS |
| Meteorological conditions | VMC |
| County | Nordland |
| Type of occurrence | Accident |
| Type of operation | Private (club) |
| Category of operation | Light, aeroplane (< 5 700kg) |
| Aircraft category | Landplane, Single-engine, Piston engine |
| FIR/AOR | ENBD (Bodø ATCC) |