Georgetown, December 9, 2023 — A Bell 412 Helicopter, registered as 8R-AYA and operated by the Guyana Defense Force (GDF), met a tragic fate on December 6, 2023, resulting in the loss of five lives and injuries to two individuals.
The ill-fated flight, carrying seven members of the GDF, departed from the GDF headquarters at Camp Ayanganna in Georgetown at approximately 9:23 am. The purpose of the flight was to visit troops stationed in the border region between Guyana and Venezuela.
After making a refueling stop at Olive Creek airstrip, the aircraft continued its journey but went missing around 11:20 am. An immediate air search was initiated, and later that day, the wreckage was located, with survivors signaling for rescue.
Adverse weather conditions hampered rescue efforts, and on December 8, two survivors, Lieutenant Andio Crawford and Corporal Dwayne Jackson, were successfully rescued.
Regrettably, the bodies of five servicemen were also recovered: Retired Brigadier Gary Beaton, Colonel Michael Shahoud, Lieutenant Colonel Michael Charles, Lieutenant Colonel Sean Welcome, and Staff Sergeant Jason Khan.
The tragic incident has left the nation mourning the loss of these brave servicemen and emphasizes the risks associated with military aviation operations.
The Bell 412 helicopter, originally manufactured by Bell Helicopter Textron Canada as a Bell 412EP in 2014, was first registered as C-GZIV under Serial Number 37002. It received its first airworthiness certificate on December 17, 2014, under Registration Number N-533BB.
The aircraft was at Bell Textron In Fort Worth Texas prior to removal from the US register (deregistered) on 07/11/2023 upon export to Guyana.
The aircraft, configured with 15 seats and 2 engines, fell within the weight category of less than 12,500 lbs.
Publicly available information indicates that N-533BB was showcased at the Alliance Fort Worth Airshow in the USA on October 15, 2016.
Note: over the life of an aircraft there are several types of service bulletins issued by the manufacturers and Airworthiness Directives issued by the regulatory authority, the Alert Service bulletin below is only used as an example.
On February 2, 2018 Bell Textron issued Alert Service Bulletin 412-17-175 – ROTORCRAFT FLIGHT MANUAL TEMPORARY REVISION FOR 4 AXIS AUTOPILOT OPERATIONS, INTRODUCTION OF.
Bell 412EP helicopter design and features – https://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/bell-412ep-twin-engine-helicopter/?cf-view
The Bell 412EP helicopter is based on the Bell 412 utility helicopter. It features an all-composite four-blade main rotor system, two-blade tail rotor, skid-type landing gear, semi-monocoque tail boom, and aluminium alloy fuselage. The helicopter can execute missions both during day and at night.
The spacious cabin, with a volume of 6.2m³, is designed to provide comfortable seating for 13 passengers. It is equipped with two 2.3m jettisonable doors and four large panoramic windows. The baggage compartment in tail boom has a volume of 0.8m³ and can be easily configured to house a variety of mission-specific equipment.
The internal and external maximum gross weights of the helicopter are 5,398kg each. The empty weight is 3,159kg in instrument flight rules (IFR) standard configuration. The helicopter can carry a useful load of 2,239kg and is attached with a cargo hook to carry loads up to 2,041kg.
Cockpit
The modern, glass cockpit accommodates two crew members and has an option for single pilot IFR operation. It is fitted with two side doors and glass windshields.
The three-axis, dual digital automatic flight control system (AFCS) enables safe and easy operation while reducing the pilot workload. The avionics include multi-functional displays, VHF antenna, VHF transceiver, magnetic compass, distance measuring equipment, transponder, airspeed indicator, and altimeter.
The cockpit can be optionally fitted with four-axis dual digital AFCS, helicopter terrain avoidance warning system (H-TAWS), automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B), air data computer, emergency locator transmitter and traffic collision avoidance system (TCAS).
Survivability features
The fuselage is fitted with rollover bulkhead protection for the occupants. The crashworthy, energy-absorbing crew seats ensure pilot safety and comfort. The transmission system uses chip detector and debris collection to provide early failure detection.
The Bell 412EP’s safety features also include rupture-resistant fuel cells, wire strike protection system, dual digital flight control, and dual redundant electrical, hydraulic and fuel systems.
Bell 412EPI upgrade
The Bell 412EPI is an improved version of the basic Bell 412EP helicopter. It has an empty weight of 3,207kg and a maximum gross weight of 5,398kg.
Some of the major upgrades include the Pratt & Whitney PT6T-9 Twin Pac engine and the Bell BasiX-Pro fully integrated glass cockpit system. The advanced engine provides approximately 13% more take-off power than that of the 412EP version.
The fully integrated glass flight deck improves the situational awareness of the pilot by providing critical flight information.
The upgraded aircraft is equipped with single pilot instrument flight rules (SPIFR) capability with four-axis stability and control. The avionics system can be customised as per the customer’s needs.
The helicopter has a fuel capacity of 1,251l and can achieve a cruising speed of 235km/h. It can fly up to 687km for four hours while carrying a payload of 4,309kg.
The helicopter features a traffic advisory system along with helicopter terrain awareness and warning systems for improved safety.
The Bell 412EPI incorporates BLR Aerospace’s Fastfin system that uses advanced airflow management to improve the lift capabilities of the aircraft.
Engines and performance of the twin-engine helicopter
The Bell 412EP helicopter is powered by two Pratt & Whitney PT6T-3D Twin Pac® engines, which have a generating capacity of 1,800shp each. The engines are coupled to a 1,110shp transmission unit.
The helicopter has a standard fuel capacity of 1,251l and can optionally carry 621l of auxiliary fuel. It is fitted with Strake and FastFin, both developed by BLR Aerospace, for improved hover and crosswind performance.
The powerplant provides a maximum cruise speed of 226km/h, a never-exceed speed of 259km/h and a range of 358nm. The helicopter’s IGE and OGE hover ceilings are 3,109m and 1,585m respectively, service ceiling is 4,968m and endurance is 216 minutes.
