2014 Canary Islands SAR Super Puma crash

The Canary Islands SAR Super Puma crash was an air accident that occurred on 19 March 2014 during exercises at sea off the coast of Gran Canaria. The aircraft, which was part of the 802 search and rescue squadron of Wing 46. The aircraft struck the Atlantic Ocean at 21.55 due to a failure in the flare system of the support aircraft.

Accident

On 19 March 2014, helicopter HD.21-10, an AS332 Super Puma of the Spanish Air and Space Force, was scheduled to carry out a routine rescue and training exercise in a SAR (Search and Rescue) type operation in a maritime area off the coast of Gran Canaria.

The training consisted of approach and controlled descent manoeuvres over the ocean, simulating rescues from the water. The Maritime Action Ship (BAM) P-41 Meteoro, belonging to the Spanish Navy, took part in the operation. Although the weather conditions were favourable at the start of the flight, gusts of wind were recorded that may have influenced the course of the exercise. While it was returning to base, the CASA CN-235 that was providing illumination to the aircraft by means of flare launchers suffered a failure in the system leaves the crew without visibility. One minute after the failure the aircraft disappeared into the sea.

Investigation of the accident

The investigation into the accident of HD.21-10 was carried out by the Commission for the Technical Investigation of Military Aircraft Accidents.

After analysing the wreckage of the helicopter and reconstructing the events, it was concluded that the main cause of the accident was the failure of the flare system of the Fokker F27 Friendship support aircraft, leaving the crew without visual references to orient themselves, causing Spatial disorientation in the crew that led to the impact with the sea at 21:55.