ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 230603
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| Date: | Wednesday 13 November 2019 |
| Time: | 14:00 |
| Type: |  Bell 214B-1 Big Lifter |
| Owner/operator: | McDermott Aviation |
| Registration: | P2-MLJ |
| MSN: | 28066 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1980 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Pechey, NNE of Toowoomba, QLD -
 Australia
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Fire fighting |
| Departure airport: | |
| Investigating agency: | ATSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The Bell 214B helicopter was water bombing during fire control operations near Pechey, Queensland. At 1344 Eastern Standard Time, the helicopter approached the bushfire downwind and down hill from the north-west at about 60 knots, and made a descending right-hand turn back into wind over the fire.
The descent was continued towards the drop zone. The airspeed was further slowed and the height was reduced to about 150 feet above ground level (50 feet above treetop level). The pilot then released the load of water before departing the drop area into rising terrain. The pilot heard the low rotor RPM warning and had insufficient altitude and clearance from obstacles to recover the rotor RPM and continue flying. He was concerned that further actions required to recover the rotor RPM would result in the helicopter possibly striking trees or ending up in the actively burning fire.
In maintaining the climb to avoid rising ground, trees and fire, the rotor RPM appeared to decay further. As the helicopter cleared the trees, it began to descend, yawed to the right and the left-hand skid collided with the ground. The helicopter rolled onto its left side resulting in substantial damage. The pilot was able to turn off the fuel to stop the engine and exited the helicopter via the overhead window with minor injuries. Neither the g-force activated ELT beacon or flight tracking alarm were triggered.
The distance from the last water drop to the impact point was less than 100 metres and the recovered aircraft showed little evidence of damage from forward moment.
Sources:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-11-13/queensland-bushfire-conditions-deteriorate-nsw-winds-fan-flames/11697554
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/world/pilot-survives-waterbombing-helicopter-crashes-battling-queensland-fires
https://www.9news.com.au/national/queensland-bushfires-water-bombing-aircraft-crashes-at-pechey-near-toowoomba-news/f46b591a-2f05-4be0-a65e-67dba2a03921
https://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/occurrence-briefs/2019/aviation/ab-2019-046
ex.N2179A, JA9304, N4410N, C-GTWG, F-GJKZ, N214JL.
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 13-Nov-2019 06:14 | gerard57 | Added |
| 13-Nov-2019 07:08 | Bidgee | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Source, Damage] |
| 13-Nov-2019 07:24 | Aerossurance | Updated [Location, Source, Narrative] |
| 13-Nov-2019 09:31 | A.J.Scholten | Updated [Aircraft type, Source] |
| 10-Feb-2021 17:39 | CM | Updated [Location, Narrative] |
| 10-Feb-2021 17:40 | harro | Updated [Narrative] |
| 14-Nov-2023 15:53 | harro | Updated [Other fatalities, Source, Narrative] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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