SE-JAZ

Information

This helicopter was constructed by the newly established Eurocopter group, formerly Aérospatiale, at its French Marignane plant in 1992. The B2 model of the popular Ecureuil was replacing the B1, and it was quite new on the market. The first B2s were starting to arrive in Sweden, with two aircraft delivered prior to SE-JAZ. The first ones were SE-JAN, SE-JAF. The helicopter was purchased by Norrlandsflyg, and it got its Swedish registration in February 1992.

Accident
SE-JAZ was damaged in an accident four days prior to Christmas 1993. The operator was involved in the transportation of goods and people from Nikkaluokta to Kebnekaise Mountain Station for an extensive construction project at the station.
At the particular flight, SE-JAZ was approaching the mountain station with five passengers on board. The pilot chose to land between the main building and the helipad in order to avoid the white-out conditions that prevailed at the hilltop helipad. The helicopter got engulfed in the whirling snow and started to drift to the left, where the main rotor hit the helipad hill.
The pilot managed to perform a safe forced landing near the intended landing spot, and all six occupants were uninjured.
The 1300-hour helicopter was substantially damaged, but it was recovered and was later sold to New Zealand.

Afterlife
The former SE-JAZ was exported to New Zealand in the spring of 1994. It was rebuilt and got the registration ZK-HLZ. It left for Australia (VH-HRK) in August 1995, and was later exported to Germany (D-HEPB), and eventually reached Portugal (CS-HEL), where it operated with Heliportugal. It was later exported to Nigeria (5N-BJG), operated by Caverton Helicopters.