Although official confirmation of the circumstances are hard to come by, photos have been circulating that show an apparent tail boom structural failure of an Augusta Westland 139. The aircraft was operated by Gulf Helicopters, a Qatar-based company that has more than 20 helicopters, including four AW139s. According to the forums, the failure occurred while the helicopter was taxiing in preparation for takeoff from Dohar, Qatar. Presumably the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority is investigating but there’s no mention of it on their Web site.
Tail Boom Separates From AW139
Key Takeaways:
- Photos indicate an apparent structural tail boom failure of an Augusta Westland 139 helicopter.
- The incident occurred during taxiing for takeoff in Dohar, Qatar, involving an aircraft operated by Gulf Helicopters.
- Official confirmation of the circumstances and details of any investigation are not publicly available from the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority.
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