Airbus issues safety advisory following Brazil helicopter water landing

On Jan. 2, an Airbus H160 helicopter in Brazil was forced to make an emergency water landing after pilots experienced “significant vibrations.”

All eight individuals on board were safely evacuated to life rafts using the helicopter’s emergency floatation system and were later rescued. The incident has prompted a joint safety review by Airbus and global aviation authorities.

According to Brazilian authorities, the pilots initiated the controlled ditching after detecting abnormal vibrations during the flight. The aircraft’s emergency floatation system activated as designed upon contact with water, stabilizing the helicopter and facilitating evacuation. The Brazilian Civil Aviation Investigation and Prevention Center launched an official inquiry, supported by France’s Bureau d’Enquêtes sur les Accidentes.

Preliminary inspections of the recovered aircraft revealed damage to the tail rotor drive line and main rotor system, including a fractured main rotor pitch rod. While the root cause of the failure remains under investigation, Airbus Helicopters announced precautionary measures to mitigate potential risks.

The company issued an Emergency Alert Service Bulletin, mandating the replacement of main rotor pitch rod ends after a specified number of flight hours has been accumulated. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency subsequently published an Emergency Airworthiness Directive aligning with the recommendation.

In a statement, Airbus emphasized its commitment to safety, stating, “Our primary objective is to ensure the continued safe transportation of every person that flies in an Airbus helicopter. This is why we are mandating the replacement of this component while the root cause of the fracture remains under investigation. Airbus Helicopters will be working closely with its customers to support the replacement of the parts.”