Date:	Saturday 4 February 2012
Time:	15:55 LT
Type:	Robinson R44 Raven II
Owner/operator:	Bankstown Helicopter Pty. Ltd.
Registration:	VH-COK
MSN:	10421
Year of manufacture:	2004
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Category:	Accident
Location:	Jaspers Brush Airfield, Shoalhaven, NSW -   Australia
Phase:	Take off
Nature:	Survey
Departure airport:	Jaspers Brush Airfield, NSW
Destination airport:	Jervis Bay
Investigating agency:	ATSB
Confidence Rating:	Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities

Narrative:
The helicopter abruptly pitched nose-up and the tailskid struck the ground. The helicopter then abruptly pitched forward and rolled to the right before the main rotor blades struck the ground. A fuel-fed fire started in the vicinity of the fuel tanks and lower mast area. The fuselage then hit the ground.

The helicopter was flying from Jaspers Brush to Jervis Bay to undertake air-to-ground photography, and "location scouting" for a forthcoming movie. The two fatalities have been named on social media websites as Mike deGruy, aged 60, from Santa Barbara in California (passenger), and Andrew Wight, aged 51, from Victoria, NSW (pilot). Mr deGruy had won multiple BAFTA and Emmy awards for cinematography. He was a specialist in underwater cinematography.

http://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/2012/aair/ao-2012-021.aspx
http://dms.ntsb.gov/aviation/AccidentReports/kkgpn2elqfgqze554q4ut5451/T02102012120000.pdf
https://www.skynews.com.au/showbiz/article.aspx?id=715244&vId=
http://web.archive.org/web/20120720220402/http://news.ninemsn.com.au:80/national/8413964/two-men-die-in-helicopter-crash
http://www.news.com.au/national/two-men-die-in-fiery-nsw-helicopter-crash/story-e6frfkvr-1226262720530
http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/two-men-die-in-helicopter-crash-20120204-1qymt.html
https://www.ntsb.gov/aviationquery/brief.aspx?ev_id=20120206X51100&key=1
http://web.archive.org/web/20120205111657/http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/news/latest_releases?sq_content_src=%2BdXJsPWh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGd3d3LmViaXoucG9saWNlLm5zdy5nb3YuYXUlMkZtZWRpYSUyRjIxMzkzLmh0bWwmYWxsPTE%3D
http://www.recreationalpilots.com.au/gallery/details.php?image_id=5191&mode=search (photo)

The helicopter Robinson R44 (VH-COK) crashed at an airport in Jaspers Brush, South of Sydney killing two men.

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
04-Feb-2012 02:02	gerard57	Added
04-Feb-2012 02:29	bp	Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Location, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Narrative]
04-Feb-2012 02:29	Anon.	Updated [Operator]
04-Feb-2012 02:54	RobertMB	Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Operator, Location, Phase, Nature, Source, Narrative]
04-Feb-2012 16:58	Geno	Updated [Source]
05-Feb-2012 01:24	LAURENCE	Updated [[Source]]
07-Feb-2012 11:41	harro	Updated [Source, Narrative]
09-Feb-2012 13:25	Geno	Updated [Source]
10-Feb-2012 08:21	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative]
09-Mar-2012 00:01	harro	Updated [Narrative]
17-Nov-2022 10:24	Ron Averes	Updated [Location, Narrative]