ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 221210
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| Date: | Monday 28 January 2019 |
| Time: | 19:08 LT |
| Type: |  Sikorsky S-64E Skycrane |
| Owner/operator: | Erickson Inc |
| Registration: | N173AC |
| MSN: | 64015 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1967 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Wood Creek Dam, VIC -
 Australia
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Fire fighting |
| Departure airport: | |
| Investigating agency: | ATSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
A Sikorsky S-64E Skycrane, registered N173AC and operated by Erickson Inc., collided with water at Wood Creek Dam, Victoria. The collision occurred following an approach to the dam to fill an external tank with water for firebombing operations. All the crew exited the aircraft and swam to shore. One crewmember was seriously injured and two were uninjured. The aircraft was substantially damaged.
ATSB Findings:
- The crew conducted a tight descending right hand turn into the dam, inside the upper margins of the flight envelope. This approach required a steep flare on arrival and likely resulted in the rapid onset of vortex ring state.
- The dam’s steep sides and narrow tapered body provided limited opportunity for vortex ring state recovery actions, contributing to collision with water.
- The Crew Chief's presence aboard the aircraft during firebombing operations exposed him to unnecessary risk.
- All crewmembers credited their survival to skills learned and practiced in Helicopter Underwater Escape Training. In addition, the helmet cord extension cables detached easily from the aircraft, contributing directly to the crew's egress from the flooded cockpit.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2102740499817112&id=513636732060838
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-01-29/firefighting-water-bomber-helicopter-crashes-in-gippsland-dam/10757292
ex.66-18413, PR-HRB.
https://www.9news.com.au/2019/01/28/22/05/victoria-news-water-bombing-plane-crash-jericho-mount-gregory-thomson-dam-bushfires
Media:
The crew of a firefighting helicopter are lucky to be alive after their chopper, known as ‘Christine’ crashed into Gippsland Dam last night. @kcostalos pic.twitter.com/3bXXM3tmFx
— 10 News First Melbourne (@10NewsFirstMelb) 29 janvier 2019
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 28-Jan-2019 11:08 | Sherlock | Added |
| 28-Jan-2019 11:10 | harro | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Other fatalities, Location, Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 28-Jan-2019 11:12 | harro | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator] |
| 28-Jan-2019 13:37 | Aerossurance | Updated [Operator, Location, Nature, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 29-Jan-2019 06:59 | Aerossurance | Updated [Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 29-Jan-2019 07:11 | Iceman 29 | Updated [Embed code] |
| 29-Jan-2019 13:24 | A.J. Scholten | Updated [Source, Embed code] |
| 02-Feb-2019 16:38 | Anon. | Updated [Damage, Narrative] |
| 18-Apr-2020 06:25 | harro | Updated [Time, Location, Phase, Embed code, Narrative, Accident report, ] |
| 13-Nov-2023 11:53 | harro | Updated [Other fatalities] |
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