Safety
Report inconclusive about why R44 ditched in water
The British Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has issued its report on an accident last January.

The British Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has issued its report on an accident last January. A British-registered Robinson R44 (G-NUDE), ditched and sank on an attempted flight between Cabo de Hornos, Chile, and Teniente Marsh Airbase on King George Island, Antarctica. The two occupants were rescued after 10 hours in seas of 35 degrees F.

According to the AAIB bulletin the two pilots had waited several days for a strong enough tailwind for the 440-nm crossing before departing at 2105 GMT on January 27 last year. At 700 feet, the 30-knot tailwind gave them a groundspeed of 120 knots. They made position reports to the Chilean Coast Guard at 30-minute intervals using a satellite phone. Four hours after departure they were approaching King George Island, but saw sea fog ahead and turned to the southwest, hoping to make landfall.