Offshore pilots 'must check names of platforms' after wrong landing

The helicopter was meant to land on Forties Delta

Pilots landing on offshore platforms have been told they must carry out proper name checks after a helicopter mistook one platform for another.

An Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) report showed pilots made the mistake in the Forties field off Aberdeen in March last year.

Instead of Forties Delta they landed on the "visually similar" Forties Charlie.

The AAIB said proper name checks need to be carried out in advance due to crew familiarity with the journeys.

It has issued a safety notice to pilots after the incident, involving two crew and four passengers, detailing the lessons to be learned.

'Pilots noticed the name'

The report said the crew's familiarity with the journey from Aberdeen to multiple platforms in the field, and the physical similarity of the platforms, may have contributed.

It said: "On completion of the landing checks, the pilots noticed that no deck-crew approached the helicopter and it was at this stage the pilots noticed the Forties Charlie name on the helideck".

After completing turnaround checks, they continued to the other platform.

The safety action stated: "Pilots must read the platform name before committing to landing".