Summary
On 31 May 2013, at approximately 0011 Eastern Daylight Time, the Sikorsky S-76A helicopter (registration C-GIMY, serial number 760055), operated as Lifeflight 8, departed at night from Runway 06 at the Moosonee Airport, Ontario, on a visual flight rules flight to the Attawapiskat Airport, Ontario, with 2 pilots and 2 paramedics on board. As the helicopter climbed through 300 feet above the ground toward its planned cruising altitude of 1000 feet above sea level, the pilot flying commenced a left-hand turn toward the Attawapiskat Airport, approximately 119 nautical miles to the northwest of the Moosonee Airport. Twenty-three seconds later, the helicopter impacted trees and then struck the ground in an area of dense bush and swampy terrain. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and the ensuing post-crash fire. The helicopter’s satellite tracking system reported a takeoff message and then went inactive. The search-and-rescue satellite system did not detect a signal from the emergency locator transmitter. At approximately 0543, a search-and-rescue aircraft located the crash site approximately 1 nautical mile northeast of Runway 06, and deployed search-and-rescue technicians. However, there were no survivors.
Transportation Safety Board of Canada Recommendation A16-07
“The Department of Transport prohibit the use of hook-and-loop fasteners as a means of securing an emergency locator transmitter to an airframe.”
Transport Canada Response to Recommendation A16-07
Transport Canada agrees in principle with the intent of this recommendation. As concluded in 2012, Transport Canada agrees with both FAA and EASA that inconsistent installation and reinstallation practices can lead to the hook and loop style fastener not having necessary tension to perform its intended function. Additionally, the retention characteristics of the hook and loop style fastener may degrade over time due to wear and environmental degradation from vibration, temperature, or contamination. Concern increases further when the ELT instructions for continued airworthiness (ICA) do not have specific instructions for inspecting the hook and loop style fasteners or a replacement interval. ELTs mounted with hook and loop style fasteners have detached from their aircraft mounting, causing the antenna connection to sever and rendering the ELT ineffective. Commensurately, the use of hook and loop fasteners to secure ELTs is no longer permitted for ELTs meeting the minimum performance specifications of TSO-C126b.
Further, Transport Canada understands that manufacturers of ELT designs incorporating hook and loop fasteners that have failed to perform their intended function in accidents either have revised or are in the process of revising their designs, minimizing the need to cancel the airworthiness approval of previously approved ELTs. Similarly, designs incorporating hook and loop fasteners have not been determined to represent an unsafe condition in the fleet, to the extent that an Airworthiness Directive is warranted.
On May 23, 2012, the FAA issued SAIB HQ-12-32 to provide recommendations for previously installed ELTs. The Transport Canada Feedback magazine, at issue 3/2012, advised Canadian industry on the publication of the SAIB, providing ELT installation and maintenance guidance and advising of the new TSO–C126b to eliminate hook and loop fasteners from future TSO designs. On March 10, 2015, the U.S. Federal Register published an FAA Notice recommending voluntary change to the securing of existing ELTs, asking those aircraft owners/operators with ELTs secured with hook and loop fasteners in their aircraft to voluntarily switch to a metal strap type restraint method.
In response to this safety recommendation, Transport Canada will carry out further safety promotion to educate the Canadian aviation community with respect to the risks with hook and loop fasteners.