C-GLHI

Information

This aircraft was constructed by Hughes Helicopters back in 1978. It was sold to the UK and registered G-GOGO. The helicopter was sold to Sweden by its latest UK owner, AW Alloys LTD, via the Netherlands, in the spring of 1994. The new Swedish owner, Eslöv based Skåneflyg AB, put the aircraft in service in power line inspections and agricultural jobs, but soon sold the helicopter to Greenland. It was leased to Norway (Helifly) together with SE-JGE for 2-3 years.

The aircraft returned to Sweden in 2002, this time purchased by Malmskogens Helikopterleasing AB. The Idre based utility company Dala Helikopter AB soon hired the aircraft and eventually purchased the helicopter. It was mainly used for tourism, power line inspections, agricultural operations and reindeer herding.
The aircraft was painted with a Dalahorse pattern (the ikon for the province of Dalarna) in mid-2007.

The accident
The helicopter was performing a reindeer herding at Klutsjön (Idre), and was hovering at roughly 10-12 meters above the ground when the engine suddenly failed. The aircraft fell rapidly and hit hard. The two occupants obtained back injuries, but they were able to evacuate the wrecked helicopter and alert the rescue service, which arrived in approx 1 hour and 15 minutes. One of the crew members was later flown to Mora hospital by the rescue helicopter SE-JOJ.

The Investigation Board determined that the coupling between the engine compressor and turbine, a so-called Splined Adapter, had snapped due to a fatigue crack. The Board considers the Splined Adapter a week component in the engine design, despite measures taken by engine manufacturers and regulators.

The wreckage of SE-JBU was sold to Canada in early-2010. It was restored into a flying condition, and was eventually registered C-GHLI.