Helicopter sling load strike damages Twin Otter wing in Antarctica

An incident on 3 January involved a BK-117 helicopter from Helicopter Resources attempting to deliver four fuel drums to a Twin Otter ski plane at the Nunatak 1.5 site, roughly 318 km northeast of the Australian-run Davis Station. While lowering the load on a 100-foot cable, the remote hook made inadvertent contact with the Twin Otter’s trailing edge, damaging the aileron trim tab and its actuator mechanism. Neither the pilot nor the ground crew were hurt, but the aircraft, operated by Canada’s Kenn Borek Air, was rendered unserviceable for over two weeks, disrupting summer operations.

Parts and spare components were air-lifted to the continent with assistance from the US Antarctic Program, and the plane was cleared to fly again on 19 January. The Australian Antarctic Division’s investigation highlighted missing risk assessments and inadequate communication, prompting new protocols that require a minimum 10-metre separation for sling loads near aircraft and enhanced crew training. Helicopter Resources has updated its operating manual and training regime to address the identified shortcomings.