A new report from the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) has revealed dramatic details behind a Helijet flight that was struck by lightning while travelling to Victoria in October 2023.
According to the report released this week, the Sikorsky S-76C++ helicopter was carrying a dozen passengers and two crew members on a scheduled morning flight from Vancouver harbour to Victoria harbour when it was struck by lightning near North Pender Island.
Moments after the strike, the helicopter entered an uncontrolled rapid descent, losing more than 3,100 feet in roughly 36 seconds before the captain regained control of the aircraft.
Investigators say the helicopter had been cruising at about 4,000 feet in instrument flight conditions when the crew encountered turbulence and heavy rain over the Southern Gulf Islands.
Occupants onboard reportedly heard a loud bang and saw a bright white flash engulf the helicopter as the lightning strike occurred.
The strike caused the helicopter’s autopilot, flight director and electronic flight displays to briefly shut down. Investigators say one of the helicopter’s tail rotor blade assemblies also separated during the incident, causing substantial damage to other parts of the aircraft.
At one point during the descent, the helicopter rolled as much as 63 degrees and pitched nose-down 44 degrees before emerging from cloud, allowing the captain to regain visual reference and stabilize the aircraft.
The crew initially declared a PAN PAN emergency and requested vectors toward Victoria International Airport before later deciding to continue visually to Victoria where the helicopter landed safely at 9:44 a.m.
No injuries were reported.
The TSB investigation determined the strike was likely a case of “helicopter-induced lightning,” a phenomenon where an aircraft can trigger a lightning strike under certain atmospheric conditions.
Investigators found the weather conditions matched known criteria for helicopter-induced lightning, including temperatures near freezing, heavy precipitation and embedded storm activity that was not easily visible on radar systems.
The report also noted there were no major weather warnings or indications before departure that would have prevented the flight from operating under instrument flight rules.
The TSB says the crew’s decision-making after regaining control of the helicopter was reasonable based on the information available at the time.
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However in this situation I find it unconscionable that the Aircraft was not immediately landet at the nearest site suitable to land which probable was Pender Island. After saving the Passengers, Crew and Aircraft the Captain unnessesarely jeopardized the Lives of anybody on Board by carry on to his Home Base.
If this Company did not openly reprimandet that Captain for this unsafe Action, I would think twice before Flying with them. Btw. Many Pax on those Flights are Public Servants which have the tight to refuse unsafe Operators.
