SE-HSI

Information

SE-HSI was constructed by Hughes back in 1981. The machine was first operated in USA for six years, before it was purchased by Trollhättan-based Skyline Helikopter i Idre AB in 1987. SE-HSI was operated for a couple of years before it was sold to Germany and registered D-HAFE in mid-1990. The Swedish Borlänge-based company Heliflyg AB acquired the helicopter in 1995.

Fjällflygarna i Arjeplog AB purchased the helicopter in late-2000 and painted it red. It was mainly used for transporting tourists in the mountains, but it also carried out missions like reindeer herding, powerline inspections, inventory flights and various aerial works.

On 2 September 2003 the helicopter was involved in an accident near Bodø in northern Norway. The tail rotor gearbox exploded causing the tail rotor to leave the helicopter. Fortunately the two occupants were not hurt. The wreck was recovered by one of West Helicopter\'s Colibris and brought to Patria Ostermans Aero\'s maintenance facility in Stockholm by truck. It left Stockholm - this time by air - for its home base in Arjeplog in late May 2004.

The rebuilt machine had operated in two months when misfortune struck again. On 4 August 2004 a technical problem in the steering system resulted in a crash near Dukkekåtan at Mt Ammarfjället, near Sorsele in the Lappland province. All five occupants survived, but the machine was wrecked. A massive rescue operation involved helicopters from Gällivare, Lycksele and Boden. This time the life of the 23 years and 8 099 hours old helicopter came to an end.

SE-HSI was soon replaced by SE-HLI.