ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 164913
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| Date: | Saturday 22 March 2014 |
| Time: | 15:30 |
| Type: |  Robinson R22 BETA |
| Owner/operator: | Gogo Station Pty Ltd |
| Registration: | VH-YPS |
| MSN: | 4509 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2011 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Cattle Yard, 28 km E of Fitzroy Crossing, WA -
 Australia
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Agricultural |
| Departure airport: | Fitzroy Crossing,Western Australia (FIZ/YFTZ) |
| Fitzroy Crossing,Western Australia (FIZ/YFTZ) | |
| Investigating agency: | ATSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities |
On 22 March 2014, the pilot of a Robinson R22 helicopter, registered VH-YPS, was conducting aerial mustering on a property about 28 km east of Fitzroy Crossing aerodrome, Western Australia. The pilot had refuelled the helicopter from a jerry can and then secured the empty can in the passenger seat using the seatbelt.
At about 15:30 WST (Western Standard Time), the pilot manoeuvred the helicopter to the rear of a mob of cattle. From about 300 feet above ground level (AGL), the pilot conducted a balanced descending turn.
When at about 10 feet AGL, he applied right pedal and as he raised collective to climb away, a gust of wind blew through the left door opening and dislodged the jerry can from the seat belt. The can became wedged between the seat and the cyclic control. The pilot applied forward cyclic and the nose of the helicopter lowered. As he then attempted to apply aft cyclic to raise the nose, he realised the cyclic was jammed. With the low nose attitude and minimal height above the ground, the pilot used collective in an attempt to flare the helicopter. The front of the landing skids collided with the ground and the helicopter rotated forwards. The main rotor blades chopped through the tail boom and the helicopter continued rotating forwards and bounced back up to about 50 feet AGL before coming to rest inverted.
The pilot reported that the impact dislodged the top of the front dash board and struck his helmet. The helicopter sustained substantial damage. The 41-year-old pilot suffered non life-threatening injuries when the Robinson R22 Beta went into a spin and crashed into a cattle yard. He was taken to Fitzroy Crossing Hospital.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
1. http://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/2014/aair/ao-2014-055.aspx
2. https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western-australia/pilots-lucky-escape-after-jerry-can-brought-chopper-down/story-fnhocxo3-1226932883913_
3. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-05-19/atsb-to-probe-chopper-crash-near-fitzroy-crossing/5462294?site=kimberley
4. http://helihub.com/2014/03/22/22-mar-14-vh-yps-robinson-r22-fitzroy-crossing-australia/
5. http://www.regosearch.com/aircraft/au/YPS
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 25-Mar-2014 06:56 | Alexander Wyche | Added |
| 25-Mar-2014 18:47 | Geno | Updated [Aircraft type, Cn, Operator, Location, Destination airport, Source] |
| 16-Oct-2016 12:12 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Time, Location, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 16-Oct-2016 12:13 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Location, Departure airport, Destination airport] |
| 07-Jun-2022 19:53 | Ron Averes | Updated [Location] |
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