ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 512
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Monday 12 February 1996 |
| Time: | 13:15 |
| Type: |  Hughes 269C |
| Owner/operator: | Lightfoot Young |
| Registration: | VH-AOC |
| MSN: | 1160561 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Fernleigh Homestead, 3.6 km West of Windellama, NSW -
 Australia
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Agricultural |
| Departure airport: | Fernleigh Homestead, NSW |
| Fernleigh Homestead, NSW | |
| Investigating agency: | BASI |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The pilot had positioned the helicopter at "Fernleigh" homestead, 3.6 Km west of Windellama, NSW on the previous Friday and had not flown the helicopter again until the day of the accident. Flying commenced at 06:45, with the helicopter being flown to "Bunburra" property to treat serrated tussocks. Operations ceased there at about 0945, and the helicopter was flown back to "Fernleigh".
Further flights were carried out until 1200, when flying stopped for a lunch break. Each treatment flight took approximately 10 minutes, with the helicopter returning to reload with chemical. After the pilot and loader/driver had finished lunch, they refuelled the helicopter. Two further flights were completed before the helicopter took off again at 1305.
This was to have been the last flight in the treatment area before moving to a new location. The pilot had advised the loader/driver that during his return from the treatment area, he would inspect for regrowth another area he had previously treated. Before takeoff, the property owner reminded the pilot of the presence of power cables in the area that he was going to inspect.
The map location of the cables was not reviewed by the pilot. When the helicopter had not returned by about 1315, the loader/driver and property owner became concerned. Their initial search failed to find the helicopter, but shortly after, the owner of "Belmedie", an adjoining property, advised them that it had crashed.
The helicopter had struck power cables at a height of 26 metres whilst tracking in an easterly direction at a calculated airspeed of 45 knots. The power cables were located in the area that the pilot had planned to inspect for regrowth.
There were no witnesses to the actual flight path of the helicopter preceding the collision. A witness at "Belmedie" had heard and glimpsed the helicopter near the homestead. Weather conditions at the time of the accident were fine. The pilot was killed in the impact with the terrain.
ATSB Conclusions:
1. The pilot did not adequately establish the location of the power cables prior to the flight. It is likely the pilot either forgot or did not see the second set of cables before colliding with them.
2. The nature of the terrain in the vicinity of the power cables inhibited the capacity of the pilot to see them.
3. Flight control of the helicopter was lost when the tail boom and tail rotor gear box were severed from the helicopter.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
1. https://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/1996/aair/aair199600456.aspx
2. http://www.griffin-helicopters.co.uk/accidentdetails.aspx?accidentkey=50753
3. http://www.rotorspot.nl/product/h269c.php
4. https://www.atsb.gov.au/media/24716/ASOR199600456.pdf
5. http://antonakis.co.uk/registers/Australia.txt
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 21-Jan-2008 10:00 | ASN archive | Added |
| 09-Apr-2014 21:31 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Cn, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Damage, Narrative] |
| 09-Apr-2014 21:32 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation