A SIKORSKY S-61N helicopter has probably beaten the water-taxiing record for a non-float-equipped aircraft by travelling some 30km (16nm) to land on an isolated part of the Namibian coast in southern Africa.
The Court Helicopters aircraft, operating between an offshore drilling and the remote Arandis base 50km inland of Swakopmund in northern Namibia, was put down in the sea after suffering a single-engine failure.
The pilots force-landed in a calm sea, and used power from the remaining engine to water-taxi to the Skeleton Coast, where the helicopter was beached. All four passengers and two crew survived unharmed. The aircraft was carrying freight as well as passengers.
Court Helicopters, one of southern Africa's largest helicopter operators, says that an investigation is under way examining why the pilot was unable to keep the aircraft airborne on the operating engine - which is possible in theory.
Source: Flight International
