Airbus Helicopters (Eurocopter) AS350 AStar engine power-loss accidents associated with ice/snow/water ingestion over the past 25 years are one of several highlighted aviation issues in Canada’s Transportation Safety Board 2014-2015 Annual Report. As an example, the report cites the investigation into a recent fatal AS350 crash attributed to engine failure. It found that the protective engine covers had not been installed when the helicopter was parked during heavy snowfall, and that the air intake system was not cleaned and dried before engine start. After the aircraft was started and running at low power, soft ice built up inside the air intake. During takeoff at high power, the ice broke free and entered the engine compressor, causing complete engine power loss. The investigation concluded that the full range of recommended preventive measures cannot easily be accomplished in field operations, and that this presents a risk.
“Given this risk, Transport Canada has undertaken to review the engine inlet design of these helicopters,” the report stated. More than 500 AS350s and EC130s are flown by 132 operators in Canada.
