Canada’s Transportation Safety Board is discussing the merits of a ban of personal electronics in the cockpit after a helicopter pilot was distracted by his cellphone during a tedious ground test. The aircraft went into an uncommanded rotation that resulted in the death of one mechanic and serious injuries to another. Both were hit by the tail rotor of the Airbus AStar during work to balance the tail rotor shaft in May of 2023, according to a report (copied below) from Canada’s Transportation Safety Board. The mishap occurred in Smithers B.C. with a Mustang Helicopters aircraft.
The report also says the pilot skipped some checklist items in trying to expedite the testing, which required running up the engine almost to full power on the ground while the engineers tweaked the tail rotor shaft. “In doing so, important steps were not completed, which left pressure in the hydraulic system and the right anti-torque pedal in a fully forward position, which went undetected before the third maintenance ground run,” a TSB press release said. “The pilot was not expecting the helicopter’s rapid rotation and was looking down when the rotation began. His response to the rotational force (yaw force) was insufficient to prevent the helicopter from rotating quickly.”
The pilot was listening to something from his cellphone using a Bluetooth device when the accident occurred, and the TSB says it’s not the first time an electronic distraction has caused a serious mishap. “The TSB has previously identified risks associated with the use of cellphones in accidents,” the press release said. “It is well understood that electronic devices can divert attention from activities that are necessary for safe operations, and currently there are no regulations in Canada that prohibit the use of cellphones in the cockpit.” The helicopter operator set a policy requiring all personal electronic devices be stowed when its aircraft are in use.
Don’t forget the pilot also streamed a live sporting event on his phone during the previous test run.
Complacency and idiocy is what needs to be banned from the cockpit.
Cell phones are needed to get a clearance at remote airports. Lots of people in aviation who have come in like a flood without proper experience or vetting, just because they could pass a check ride is going to reveal many such issues as time goes on.
‘Complacency and idiocy is what needs to be banned from the cockpit.
Optimus is just a moment away.
Not sure how things are in Canada, but here in South Quebec (aka New England) mobile phones are often used to file, amend or cancel clearances both using apps, and by a phone call to clearance delivery at fields with limited vhf communication. Whether one does so with the plane shut down on the apron or while idling in the runup area, it is a fact of IFR life in the NAS. There may be lots of other use cases just as compelling.
And, yes, some attitudes can’t be fixed with rules.
Cell phone ban wouldn’t solve the problem because it’s unenforceable.
I don’t know anything about maintaining helicopters so maybe nothing preventative could have been done by the mechanics in this case but on the occasions I must be in a potential death zone of an airplane I absolutely assume that whomever is at the controls will do their best to try and kill me and I behave accordingly.
Much like a test flight, a maintenance ground run requires a safety briefing attended by everyone who will be involved. The tasks to be accomplished and risks are supposed to be covered. In addition, any participant has the authority to terminate the test at any time and for any reason and the procedure for doing this also has to be discussed. Time consuming and tedious, yes. Way better than property damage or injuries….