ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 736
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: | Tuesday 21 February 2006 |
| Time: | 14:00 |
| Type: |  Robinson R44 Astro |
| Owner/operator: | North Australian Helicopters Pty Ltd |
| Registration: | VH-HBS |
| MSN: | 0033 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1994 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | 10 km W of Gunpowder Mine, QLD -
 Australia
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Survey |
| Departure airport: | Mount Isa, Queensland (ISA/YBMA) |
| Mount Kelly, Queensland | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
On 21 February 2006, a Robinson Helicopter Company R44 Astro helicopter, registered VH-HBS, was being operated on a series of aerial survey flights approximately 100 km to the north of Mount Isa Airport, Queensland. The helicopter was operating from the Gunpowder Mine airstrip and had completed three flights by 12:54 AEST (Australian Eastern Standard Time). The pilot refuelled the helicopter and at 13:41 AEST departed for a survey flight with three passengers on board. When the helicopter did not arrive at a pre-arranged rendezvous point, a search was initiated. Searchers found the burnt wreckage of the helicopter the next day. The four occupants were fatally injured.
The helicopter had impacted the ground with significant force in a nose-down, fuselage-level attitude. The main rotor displayed evidence of low rotational energy and coning. Other than impact and fire damage, there were no identified mechanical defects or abnormalities. There was evidence that the engine was rotating at impact, but the amount of engine power being developed was not able to be established.
The previous aerial survey flights were reported to have included low speed flight and occasional hovering. At the estimated helicopter weight and the prevailing air density, the helicopter did not have the performance to hover at the survey altitude, which was estimated to be about 1,000 ft above ground level. The investigation considered that the helicopter probably descended contrary to the pilots intentions, possibly influenced by a partial engine power loss or downdraft, and induced the pilot to apply collective, which developed into over-pitching and ultimately main rotor stall.
The ATSB investigation found that the helicopter was being operated at gross weights that exceeded the specified maximum take-off weight. The investigation also found that the operators procedures did not provide a high level of assurance that a relatively low time pilot could conduct aerial survey operations safely.
All died when the helicopter Ms Stott was piloting as part of an investigation by a mining survey team crashed. The precise cause of the crash has not been ascertained. There is no evidence of any mechanical failure. Ms Stott’s lack of experience in this type of flying and the overloading of the aircraft may have contributed. All four persons on board died from the fire which broke out on impact.
NOTE: This accident should not be confused with the crash of the "other" VH-HBS, 200 km NE of Newman WA, on 27 May 1990. While that crash also involved a Robinson helicopter, in that case, the helicopter involved was an R22M, not an R44 Astro
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
1. https://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/2006/aair/aair200600979/
2. NTSB Identification: LAX06WA121 at https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief2.aspx?ev_id=20060224X00229&ntsbno=LAX06WA121&akey=1
3. http://www.aviationfanatic.com/ent_show.php?ent=5&AC_Regno=VH-HBS
4. http://www.courts.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/86832/cif-gunpowder-heli-crash-20090914.pdf [Coroners Report into the 4 crash victims]
5. https://www.pprune.org/dg-p-general-aviation-questions/212249-b-chopper-missing-near-mt-isa-b.html
6. https://www.atsb.gov.au/media/1361537/aair200600979_001.pdf
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 21-Jan-2008 10:00 | ASN archive | Added |
| 26-Jan-2008 22:43 | Andrew Whitton | Updated |
| 27-Jan-2012 19:59 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Operator, Location, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 04-May-2014 00:06 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Operator, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 04-May-2014 00:07 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
| 06-Jun-2014 16:29 | TB | Updated [Operator, Location, Source] |
| 23-Oct-2018 23:25 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Operator, Location, Source, Narrative] |
| 09-Jun-2022 11:21 | Ron Averes | Updated [Location] |
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