Sikorsky S-61N crash near Bergen, Norway

Helikopter Service Flight 165, a Sikorsky S-61N (LN-OQS), crashed into the North Sea 78 nautical miles northwest of Bergen while en route from Bergen Airport Flesland to the Statfjord A oil platform. The two-year-old helicopter took off at 10:25 with 16 passengers and 2 crew. Last contact was at 11:06. A fatigue crack in a knuckle joint caused one of the main rotor blades to loosen and detach in flight, resulting in catastrophic loss of control. All 18 on board were killed. It was the second helicopter crash carrying offshore workers in six months, following a similar S-61 loss en route to Ekofisk in November 1977 that killed 12. The AIB investigation highlighted concerns about increased maximum payload limits and their potential link to rotor wear.