ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 173114
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| Date: | Friday 16 January 2015 |
| Time: | 09:30 |
| Type: |  Robinson R22 BETA |
| Owner/operator: | Spreadborough Aerial Services Pty Ltd |
| Registration: | VH-SSD |
| MSN: | 4636 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2014 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | 23km NE of Roma, QLD -
 Australia
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Agricultural |
| Departure airport: | Finsbury Park Station, Queensland |
| Niella Station, Queensland | |
| Investigating agency: | ATSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities |
While conducting aerial mustering at about 100 ft above ground level, the helicopter encountered a tailwind resulting in a high rate of descent. The helicopter collided with the ground resulting in substantial damage. The pilot was uninjured. According to the following excerpt from the official ATSB report into the accident:
"On 16 January 2015, at about 09:30 Eastern Standard Time (EST), the pilot of a Robinson R22 helicopter, registered VH-SSD, was conducting aerial mustering operations on a property 23 km north-east of Roma, Queensland.
The helicopter was about 100 feet above ground level (AGL), with a low forward airspeed of about 5-10 knots and the cattle moving slowly uphill, when the pilot observed the cattle start to move back down the side of the hill towards a creek. The wind was light and blowing across the path of the helicopter from the left. The pilot elected to descend along the side of the cattle and turned the helicopter towards the right.
As he did that, the helicopter turned downwind with a high power setting and low forward speed. The pilot realised he had turned downwind and started to raise the nose of the helicopter and raise collective. He then detected a high rate of descent and an incipient vortex ring state, as the helicopter started to settle into its own downwash. He attempted to fly out of the situation, lowered the collective and wound the throttle on, but had insufficient forward speed and low rotor rpm. The low rotor rpm horn sounded at about 15-20 feet AGL. The pilot tried to regain rotor rpm but the helicopter sank quickly.
The pilot then ensured the skids were level and the helicopter collided with the ground. Due to the rough surface, the helicopter bounced into the air. The pilot pulled back on the cyclic control, which resulted in the tail of the helicopter being chopped off by the main rotor. The helicopter then spun around and came to rest on its side. The helicopter was substantially damaged and the pilot was uninjured."
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
1. http://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/2015/aair/ao-2015-009.aspx
2. http://helihub.com/2015/01/16/16-jan-15-vh-ssd-robinson-r22-roma-australia/
3. https://www.helis.com/database/cn/38553/
4. http://www.regosearch.com/aircraft/au/SSD
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 19-Jan-2015 13:47 | Pineapple | Added |
| 17-Oct-2016 20:43 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Time, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 08-Jun-2022 08:53 | Ron Averes | Updated [Location] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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