Mark Huber is an aviation industry veteran who has worked in the flight training, aircraft sales, aircraft component, and airport development businesses. He has flight time in more than 50 different and diverse aircraft, including helicopters, aerobatic aircraft, vintage warbirds, jet fighters, business jets and turboprops, and transport-category aircraft. He has jumped out of several of these—on purpose—with a parachute. His defense and aviation journalism has been published in a variety of national and international periodicals.

Contributor

Mark Huber

The newly-published results of a public fatal accident inquiry (FAI) into the crash of a CHC Airbus AS332 L2 Super Puma in August 2013 near Sumburgh, Shetland Islands, has concluded “no willful neglect” on the part of the flight crew. Such inquiries are often precursors to possible criminal charges and/or used to bolster civil proceedings under Scottish law. Four passengers of the 18 aboard died when the aircraft hit the water during a non-precision instrument approach to Sumburgh. A fifth passenger committed suicide attributable to crash-related, post-traumatic stress disorder in 2017.&nbsp;

 


A 2016 investigation by the UK’s Air Accident Investigation Branch concluded that the crew failed to maintain sufficient airspeed during the approach, triggering a descent below the minimum descent altitude (MDA) of 300 feet agl. “The decreasing airspeed went unnoticed by the pilots until a very late stage, when the helicopter was in a critically low energy state," noted the AAIB.&nbsp;"The commander’s attempt to recover the situation was unsuccessful and the helicopter struck the surface of the sea.”

 


The AAIB cited a variety of contributory factors in the accident including crew communication and decision-making as well as the failure of CHC’s standard operating procedures to “optimize” the use of automated systems during a non-precision approach.&nbsp;

 


Sheriff Principal Derek Pyle, who conducted the inquiry in August and September of this year, said the accident resulted from a “perfect storm of circumstances” that resulted in the pilots’ inability to maintain the correct 80-knot speed on the approach. RMT, the national union of rail, maritime, and transport workers, criticized the scope of the FAI as overly narrow and called for a wider inquiry dealing with the crew training of helicopter companies servicing oil and gas platforms in the UK.

News about significant aircraft accidents and information from accident reports.

Inquiry Clears Crew in Fatal 2013 Super Puma Crash

Accident triggered by "perfect storm of circumstances."

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Amy Wilder

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

Pilot died of cardiac arrest during the flight

NTSB: Pax Safely Lands King Air after Pilot Collapsed

Vehicle also struck parked ground-support tractor; there were no injuries

Teen Driver Breaches Fence, Hits PlaneSense PC-12 at KPSM

News and information on safety procedures and concerns.

Six fatal accidents resulted in 22 fatalities in the quarter

NBAA Report Flags Powerplant, Collision Risks in Q2 Data

Curt Epstein

News and issues relating to international air transport and cargo carriers, national airlines and regional airlines, including aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

Twenty years ago, a business jet and commerical airliner collided; the smaller airplane survived

Remembering a Solemn Anniversary: the Amazon Midair 

David Jack Kenny

Preliminary and final accident reports, September 2026

Business Aircraft Accident Reports: September 2026

News and issues regarding all manner of civil and military rotorcraft and their powerplants, including helicopters, tilt rotors and unmanned air vehicles.

More In Accidents

NTSB: Pax Safely Lands King Air after Pilot Collapsed

Pilot died of cardiac arrest during the flight

Teen Driver Breaches Fence, Hits PlaneSense PC-12 at KPSM

Vehicle also struck parked ground-support tractor; there were no injuries

NBAA Report Flags Powerplant, Collision Risks in Q2 Data

Six fatal accidents resulted in 22 fatalities in the quarter

Remembering a Solemn Anniversary: the Amazon Midair

Twenty years ago, a business jet and commerical airliner collided; the smaller airplane survived

Business Aircraft Accident Reports: September 2026

Preliminary and final accident reports, September 2026

NTSB Cites Heliport Misidentification in Aug. 2025 Crash

Captain opted out of instrument approach over autopilot concerns

Fire of Unknown Origin Led to 2024 Citation X Accident

NTSB: Ignition source could not be conclusively identified

NTSB: Bell 206L Damage Caused by Aeroelastic Interaction

Helicopter experienced a vertical hop for which the pilot didn’t know the recovery procedure

AIN Products

SUBSCRIPTIONS

RESOURCES

ABOUT AIN