TSB says pilot was distracted by cellphone before fatal helicopter accident in Smithers

Liam O'Connell

5/28/20262 min read

A fatal helicopter accident at Smithers Airport in 2023 was caused by missed safety steps and a distracted pilot whose attention was divided by cellphone use, according to a newly released Transportation Safety Board of Canada report. The crash happened during maintenance ground run operations involving a Mustang Helicopters Airbus AS 350 B3 on May 6, 2023.

The TSB says the helicopter unexpectedly entered an uncommanded rotation during the third engine start of the morning. The pilot managed to shut the aircraft down after it spun about 540 degrees, but two maintenance workers standing near the helicopter were struck multiple times by the tail rotor. One was killed and the other suffered serious injuries.

Checklist steps were skipped

According to the investigation, the pilot completed the full checklist during the first maintenance run, but then switched to an abbreviated version from memory in order to speed up the repetitive work. In doing so, he omitted several critical procedures, including checks related to the hydraulic system and control movement.

The TSB found those omissions left hydraulic pressure in the system and allowed the right anti-torque pedal to remain fully forward before the third start. When engine power was increased to flight idle, that created a strong yaw force, causing the helicopter to rotate rapidly to the right.

Pilot’s attention was split

The report also found the pilot’s attention was divided during the maintenance operation.

The TSB says the pilot had brought a cellphone into the cockpit because he wanted to follow a live sporting event. He was wearing a Bluetooth earbud and listening through it during the operation. Investigators found that by the time of the second shutdown, he was seen interacting with the phone while the rotor blades were still spinning down.

The board concluded that because the work was seen as routine and repetitive, the pilot’s attention became split between the maintenance task and his phone, reducing his readiness when the helicopter suddenly began rotating.

No recommendation, but strong warning

The TSB did not issue a formal recommendation, but said the report should serve as a warning about the risks of deviating from startup and shutdown procedures and about cellphone use in smaller aircraft cockpits. The board noted that while cockpit rules exist for large commercial aircraft, there are no comparable regulations covering cellphone use in smaller aircraft.

Following the accident, Mustang Helicopters changed its procedures and introduced a distraction policy requiring electronic devices to be stowed during such operations.

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