Date:	Wednesday 24 April 1996
Time:	17:45
Type:	Robinson R22 Beta
Owner/operator:	Private
Registration:	VH-EWQ
MSN:	1090
Year of manufacture:	1989
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Category:	Accident
Location:	194 km WSW Windorah, QLD -   Australia
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Ferry/positioning
Departure airport:	Windorah, Queensland
Destination airport:	Cadelga Station, South Australia
Investigating agency:	BASI
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
The pilot had been tasked to ferry the helicopter from Windorah to Cadelga Station in preparation for cattle mustering. Several witnesses saw the helicopter depart at about 1620 EST. It was last seen some time after 16:30 EST as it flew past South Galway Station, 61 km south-west of Windorah.

The track distance was 239 km with an expected flight time of about 1 hour and 40 minutes and an estimated time of arrival of 18:00 EST. The helicopter was expected at Cadelga Station before last light at 18:29 EST. When it had not arrived, the helicopter was reported missing. An extensive aerial search commenced at first light the next morning. The wreckage of the helicopter was found about 2 km to the right of the direct track and 31 km short of the destination.

The helicopter wreckage was examined initially at the accident site and later transported to a maintenance facility at Archerfield Airport where a more detailed examination was possible. These examinations revealed that the helicopter had impacted in an attitude about 60 degrees nose-low and banked to the right. The skid gear had separated at impact and the remaining structure of the helicopter was severely compressed.

Significantly, the main rotor had ceased rotating and the engine had stopped by the time the helicopter struck the ground. Sections of the tailboom were scattered to the right of the main wreckage. Heavy items, such as a jerry can full of oil and the tail rotor assembly, were strewn ahead, along track (approximately 245 degrees M). Lighter items, such as paint flakes and perspex pieces, were scattered downwind, generally to the north of the main wreckage.

Examination of the main rotor blades found that both pitch-link rods were broken in overload and that both blades were bent into an "S" shape. The tailboom had suffered several main rotor blade strikes. The first blade struck on the flat with the top surface, distorting the tailboom and swinging the tail rotor assembly into the main rotor disc. The cabin was also struck by one or both main rotor blades.

ATSB Conclusions:
1. The loss of main rotor RPM and engine stoppage was preceded by an event which resulted in loss of control. This event was sudden and severe enough to prevent the pilot from taking timely corrective action. An assessment of the helicopter's attitude at impact and the wreckage 2. distribution indicated that this event occurred at an altitude in excess of 500 feet.
2. There was no physical evidence found to indicate that the swag** shifted and interfered with the flight controls. (**The "swag" was a bedroll which was being carried on board, in the cabin, as part of the pilots luggage)
3. The event which led to a loss of control could not be identified.

1. http://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/1996/aair/aair199601324.aspx
2. http://www.griffin-helicopters.co.uk/accidentdetails.aspx?accidentkey=50756
3. [LINK NOT WORKING ANYMORE:http://www.aeroclub.com.au/queryac.php?query=&id=189&start=2&expand=EWQ]
4. [LINK NOT WORKING ANYMORE:http://coptercrazy.brinkster.net/search/r22show.asp?start=1051&count=50]
5. http://www.atsb.gov.au/media/24933/ASOR199601324.pdf

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
21-Jan-2008 10:00	ASN archive	Added
20-Jan-2012 16:04	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Date, Time, Cn, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Damage, Narrative]
25-Apr-2014 20:57	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative]
25-Apr-2014 21:00	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Location, Narrative]
09-Jun-2022 10:51	Ron Averes	Updated [Location]