The Philippine authorities have grounded Bell 407 helicopters operating in the country after an aircraft flown by private charter company Jaka crashed on 18 May on the western island of Palawan, killing all six people on board.
An air force helicopter sent to collect the bodies also crashed, after apparently hitting high ground while flying in poor visibility, according to sources involved in the investigation. All seven crew members were killed. The helicopter involved is thought to have been a Sikorsky S-76.
Air Transportation Office chief Adelberto Yap has reportedly written to Bell to inform the manufacturer of the grounding and detail the concerns of pilots flying the type.
Several Bell 407s have crashed after their tail rotors cut through the tailboom. This has caused US airworthiness authorities to impose a speed restriction on the light helicopter. A source who has seen the Palawan crash wreckage, however, says the helicopter's tailboom was "intact".
An investigation into the cause of the accident is under way. Eyewitnesses reported seeing the aircraft "pass, and then come back looking for a clear area to land", says the source.
The grounding order will remain in force "until the results of the investigation come out", the source adds.
Source: Flight International
