Manufacturing defect led to fatal B.C. helicopter crash: TSB
Federal investigators say a manufacturing defect caused a helicopter to crash on Vancouver Island last year, claiming the life of the pilot.
Brent Fedirchuk was killed when the single-engine Hughes helicopter he was piloting alone crashed in a wooded area near Port McNeill, B.C., shortly after 9 a.m. on April 6, 2022.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has determined that undetected gaps formed inside an engine compressor wheel during manufacturing, eventually leading to catastrophic engine failure.
"Shrinkage voids developed near the inner circumference of the engine's sixth stage compressor wheel during the manufacturing process and went undetected using the existing inspection methods," the safety board announced at the conclusion of its investigation Thursday.
"The affected compressor wheel eventually failed when two separate fractures, one due to fatigue caused by shrinkage voids and the other due to overstress, occurred. This resulted in a catastrophic engine failure, and the subsequent impact with the ground."
Fedirchuk was conducting logging operations for Kestrel Helicopters in the Naka Creek area, east of Port McNeill, at the time of the crash.
Safety board investigators say the engine failed shortly after the helicopter released a bundle of cedar blocks from a 55-metre longline.
"Therefore, the helicopter likely had insufficient height and forward speed to conduct a successful autorotation," the TSB report says.
Brent Fedirchuk was the pilot who died when the Hughes 369D he was flying went down shortly after 9 a.m. Wednesday, April 6, 2022. (Facebook/Funtastic)
Fedirchuk broadcasted a radio distress call at 9:09 a.m. and the helicopter hit the ground seconds later, according to the report.
"The helicopter impacted the terrain with significant vertical speed, causing substantial damage to the helicopter," the report found.
The ground crew that was working with the helicopter arrived at the accident scene approximately 10 minutes after the crash and found the pilot fatally injured.
The TSB says engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce issued a service letter to its customers on May 18 recommending the engine compressors be converted to a new wheel design during their next overhaul period.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Board orders deportation for trucker in horrific Humboldt Broncos crash
The truck driver who caused the horrific bus crash involving the Humboldt Broncos junior hockey team has been ordered to be deported.
Community mourns victims of fatal boat crash near Kingston, Ont.
The three people killed in last weekend's tragic collision between a speedboat and a fishing boat north of Kingston are being remembered Friday.
A woman took her dog to a shelter to be euthanized. A year later, the dog is up for adoption again
Exhausted and short on options after consulting two veterinary clinics, Kristie Pereira made the gut-wrenching decision last year to take her desperately ill puppy to a Maryland shelter to be euthanized.
Group tied to Islamic State plotted fatal Ontario restaurant shooting: Crown
A gunman who is accused of killing a young Ontario man and shooting four of his family members at their small Mississauga restaurant in 2021 was allegedly part of a trio who had pledged allegiance to the listed terrorist group Islamic State, a Crown attorney said in an opening statement in the Brampton murder trial this week.
'A really bad car crash': Why health experts are raising concerns over surging syphilis cases
A sexually transmitted infection (STI) that was once thought to be a thing of the past is now a public health priority for North American doctors.
Purolator truck drivers from Guelph, Ont. save man walking in Hwy. 407 lanes
A pair of Purolator transport truck drivers from Guelph, Ont. are being hailed as heroes for their efforts in helping a person in crisis.
Trudeau responds to American senators calling on Canada to increase defence spending
Stopping short of offering the assurance U.S. senators are seeking, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his government is aware there's more work to do in order to see Canada meet NATO's defence spending target.
Toddler dies after being struck by recycling truck in Barrie, Ont. neighbourhood
A toddler has died after being struck by a recycling truck in a Barrie, Ont. neighbourhood on Thursday afternoon.
Milk sold in Canadian grocery stores tested for avian influenza; results released
As avian flu spreads south of the border, Canadian officials are now testing samples of milk sold in grocery stores across the country.