Super Puma’s Black Boxes Found, Balpa Calls for Calm

The UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) recovered the cockpit voice/flight data recorder today from the Eurocopter Super Puma that ditched last Friday, killing four. According to preliminary information from investigators, it appears that “the approach [to Sumburgh airport] proceeded normally until approximately 3 nm from the runway, when there was a reduction in airspeed accompanied by an increased rate of descent.” Evidence suggests the helicopter was intact and upright when it entered the water, before rapidly inverting and drifting to a rocky shoreline, where it was largely broken up.

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