ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 46263
Last updated: 21 May 2013
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| Date: | 14-JAN-2002 |
| Time: | 11:00 |
| Type: |  Robinson R22 Beta |
| Operator: | Private |
| Registration: | ZK-HEZ |
| C/n / msn: | 0539 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Airplane damage: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | Balfour Range, 9 km south of Fox Glacier -
 New Zealand
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Paringa, NZ |
At approximately 05:30 hours on 14 January 2002, the pilot and his shooter took off in ZK-HEZ from the pilot’s property at Paringa. Their intention was to hunt deer in the Mahitahi and Cook Rivers area.
Meanwhile, a ground crewman drove to the Highway 6 bridge over the Cook River to rendezvous with the helicopter, clean the deer carcasses and deliver them to a chiller located nearby.
At approximately 09:30 hours the pilot arrived alone at the Cook River Bridge with an underslung load of deer. After dropping the load off and landing the crewman refuelled the helicopter with approximately 20 litres of fuel. The crewman recalled that the pilot said they had not shot any more animals at that time, and left at approximately 10:00 hours to continue hunting.
The crewman cleaned up the deer and awaited the return of the helicopter, which he expected within about half an hour.
When the pilot had not returned by 12:15 hours, the crewman became concerned and made contact with a workmate, who telephoned the Police. The Rescue Coordination Centre was notified a short time later, and an aerial search, eventually involving four helicopters, was organised.
The wreckage of a Robinson R22 was located at about 16:00 hours; the helicopter registration was confirmed as ZK-HEZ and that both occupants were dead.
The accident occurred in daylight, at approximately 11:00 hours NZDT, on the northern side of the Balfour Range, 9 km south of Fox Glacier, at an elevation of approximately 4500 feet. Grid reference 260-H36-693347, latitude S 43° 33.5', longitude E 170° 01.2'.
Sources:
http://www.caa.govt.nz/safety_info/fatal_accident_reports.htm
http://coptercrazy.brinkster.net/search/r22show.asp?start=501&count=50
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 04-Nov-2008 10:35 | ASN archive | Added |
| 06-Jan-2012 16:10 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Cn, Operator, Location, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
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