 A Sikorsky S-55C, similar to the accident aircraft | |
| Accident | |
|---|---|
| Date | January 17, 1975 |
| Summary | Crashed due to wind conditions |
| Site | Hjarðarnes, Hvalfjörður, Iceland |
| Aircraft | |
| Aircraft type | Sikorsky S-55B |
| Operator | Þyrluflug hf. |
| Registration | TF-LKH |
| Flight origin | Reykjavík Airport, Iceland |
| Destination | Vegamót, Snæfellsnes, Iceland |
| Occupants | 7 |
| Passengers | 5 |
| Crew | 2 |
| Fatalities | 7 |
| Survivors | 0 |
The 1975 Kjalarnes helicopter crash occurred on 17 January 1975, when a Sikorsky S-55B helicopter crashed by the Hjarðarnes farm in Hvalfjörður, Iceland, while en route from Reykjavík Airport to Snæfellsnes.[1] Seven people were on board, including two crew members and five employees of RARIK, the Icelandic State Electricity company.[2] Everyone on board was killed on impact.[3] It remains the deadliest helicopter crash in Icelandic aviation history.[4]
The cause of the crash was ruled to be wind conditions at Hjarðarnes. The helicopter was also believed to have been overloaded but the investigative committee stated that the crash would have likely occurred even if it had been correctly loaded,[5] a ruling confirmed by the Supreme Court of Iceland in 1983.[6]
Aircraft and crew
The Sikorsky S-55B helicopter was built in 1954 and originally used by the United States Army. It was operated by Orlando Helicopter Airways from 1971 until it was sold to Þyrluflug hf. which received it on 1 January 1975.[1][7]
The pilot was 31-year old Lúðvík Karlsson, a well known aviation pioneer in Iceland.[8][9] The second crew member was Kristján S. Helgason, the director of Þyrluflug hf.[3][6][10]
References
- 1 2 "Sjö fórust". Vísir (in Icelandic). 17 January 1975. p. 1. Retrieved 7 September 2020 – via Tímarit.is.
- ↑ "Þyrlan virtist falla stjórnlaus til jarðar". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 18 January 1975. pp. 1, 3. Retrieved 7 September 2020 – via Tímarit.is.
- 1 2 "Sjö fórust með þyrlunni". Þjóðviljinn (in Icelandic). 18 January 1975. p. 1. Retrieved 7 September 2020 – via Tímarit.is.
- ↑ "Þetta gerðist". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 17 January 2013. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
- ↑ "Flugmanni varð ekki á stórkostleg vangá". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 2 March 1983. p. 4. Retrieved 7 September 2020 – via Tímarit.is.
- 1 2 "Ekki sannað að þyrluflugmaðurinn hafi sýnt gáleysi eða vangá". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 23 March 1983. pp. 20–21. Retrieved 4 August 2022 – via Tímarit.is.
- ↑ "TF-LKH N6734 52-7617 Sikorsky H-19D Chickasaw C/N 55-645". helis.com. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
- ↑ Kristinn H. Guðnason (9 June 2019). "Ævintýramaðurinn og sagnameistarinn Lúðvík Karlsson". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). Retrieved 7 September 2020.
- ↑ "Urðum að flýja undan flóðbylgju". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 21 August 1974. pp. 3, 16. Retrieved 7 September 2020 – via Tímarit.is.
- ↑ "Lúðvík Karlsson & Kristján Helgason". Íslendingaþættir Tímans (in Icelandic). Tíminn. 8 February 1975. p. 11. Retrieved 4 August 2022 – via Tímarit.is.