TSB report warns owners of Eurocopter of engine flame-out in snowy weather

VANCOUVER – An investigation into the deadly crash of an RCMP helicopter has prompted a warning about possible engine flame-out for a specific type of chopper when it is flown in bad weather.

The caution from the Transportation Safety Board has prompted Transport Canada to review the engine design of the Eurocopter AS 350 and EC 130, with more than 500 of those machines operating in Canada.

Civilian pilot Dave Brolin died during a training exercise near Cultus Lake, B.C. in January 2012 after his chopper’s engine cut out and the aircraft slammed into the ground nose first.

The report says covers had not been placed over the engine before a heavy snowfall and the air intake system hadn’t been cleared before take off, but the report also shows it may be impossible to keep the intake system clear in snowy or rainy conditions.

The TSB concludes the chopper came down after snow built up on the air intake, clogged the engine compressor and caused a sudden loss of power.

Since the accident, pilots have been reminded of the need to clean the air intake systems before takeoff, but the TSB says some of those preventative steps aren’t easily taken in the field, and there’s still a safety risk.