Accident Robinson R44 Raven II JA106Y,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 162928
 
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Date:Tuesday 31 December 2013
Time:15:48
Type:Silhouette image of generic R44 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Robinson R44 Raven II
Owner/operator:ILAS Air Service
Registration: JA106Y
MSN: 13441
Year of manufacture:2013
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Category:Accident
Location:off shore of Kouri island, Okinawa prefecture -   Japan
Phase: En route
Nature:Passenger - Non-Scheduled/charter/Air Taxi
Departure airport:Kouri island heliport
Destination airport:Kouri island heliport
Investigating agency: JTSB
Confidence Rating: Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities
Narrative:
A helicopter in sightseeing flight made a ditching near Kouri island, Nakiji village, Okinawa, Japan, which is located about 45km northeast of Kadena airbase (DNA/RODN). All three occupants, one pilot and two passengers, were rescued by a fishing boat and hospitalized. The weather was reported to be light rain. The wreckage of the helicopter was salvaged on 2 January 2014.

It is highly probable that the accident occurred as the helicopter during sightseeing flight descended at excessive speed and descent rate until close to sea surface, the captain misjudged the altitude over calm and high degree of transparency sea surface, delayed the transition from descent to climb, crashed into sea surface and the helicopter was destroyed.
Regarding the helicopter descended at excessive speed and descent rate until close to sea surface, it is highly probable that the Standard Operation Procedures which described detailed flight procedure in the Company were not provided and flight procedure of each flight operation was left to the captain’s discretion. Moreover, the captain did not try to follow the laws and regulations and significantly lacked safety considerations.

The weather at Kadena airbase was as follows:
RODN 310758Z AUTO 14002KT 10SM BKN060 15/11 A3007 RMK AO2 RAB0657E0707 SLP191 P0000 T01540112
RODN 310708Z AUTO 13003KT 10SM OVC055 16/10 A3005 RMK AO2 RAB0657E0707
RODN 310659Z AUTO 12004KT 10SM -RA OVC055 16/10 A3005 RMK AO2 RAB0657
RODN 310658Z AUTO 13004KT 10SM OVC055 16/11 A3005 RMK AO2 SLP184 T01560105
RODN 310558Z AUTO 14005KT 10SM BKN050 16/11 A3006 RMK AO2 RAE0500 SLP187 P0000 60000 T01570105 10163 20144 56024
RODN 310501Z AUTO 15004KT 10SM SCT032 BKN049 BKN055 16/11 A3006 RMK AO2 RAE0500

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: JTSB
Report number: 
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 5 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

http://www.mlit.go.jp/jtsb/eng-air_report/JA106Y.pdf

https://headlines.yahoo.co.jp:443/hl?a=20131231-00000067-jij-soci
https://headlines.yahoo.co.jp:443/hl?a=20131231-00000020-mai-soci
https://headlines.yahoo.co.jp:443/hl?a=20131231-00000421-yom-soci
https://headlines.yahoo.co.jp:443/hl?a=20131231-00000016-asahi-soci
[LINK NOT WORKING ANYMORE:http://www.nhk.or.jp/lnews/okinawa/5094228791.html?t=1388673856244]

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
31-Dec-2013 11:57 isamuel Added
31-Dec-2013 11:58 harro Updated [Aircraft type]
02-Jan-2014 15:04 isamuel Updated [Source, Narrative]
29-Jun-2014 08:27 harro Updated [Operator, Other fatalities, Nature, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
27-Jan-2021 15:49 harro Updated [Accident report]

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