ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 232023
Last updated: 15 February 2021
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: | 09-JAN-2020 |
| Time: | 16:20 LT |
| Type: |  Bell-Garlick UH-1H Iroquois |
| Owner/operator: | Fleet Helicopters |
| Registration: | VH-ONZ |
| C/n / msn: | 5229 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Ben Boyd Reservoir, Ben Boyd National Park, NSW -
 Australia
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Fire fighting |
| Departure airport: | Merimbula, New South Wales |
| Moruya, New South Wales | |
| Investigating agency: | ATSB |
The pilot of a Garlick Helicopters UH-1H was conducting aerial fire control operations when the helicopter lost power and collided with water near Eden (Ben Boyd Reservoir), New South Wales. The helicopter rolled inverted in the water and the pilot egressed from the helicopter. The pilot had recently completed helicopter underwater escape training (HUET). The pilot received minor injuries and the helicopter was substantially damaged.
The helicopter was subsequently recovered from the reservoir and inspected by the operator’s maintenance organisation. A borescope inspection of the engine compressor section revealed a rotor blade failure in addition to other rotor blade and inlet guide vane damage.
An engine teardown was conducted by the manufacturer on 13 and 14 October 2020 at their facility in the United States. In addition to the failed compressor rotor blade, they found blade-tip rubbing of all the axial compressor rotor blades and the centrifugal compressor as a result of contact with their respective shrouds. The forward compressor shaft bevel gear was unevenly worn and exhibited excessive heat. There was a failure of the no. 21 roller bearing, which supported the front of the power turbine shaft, and a failure of the no. 1 ball bearing, which supported the front of the rotating compressor assembly. Both bearing failures exhibited excessive heat and wear, such that they could no longer maintain the centreline of their respective rotating assemblies.
Sources:
https://www.sbs.com.au/news/pilot-of-waterbombing-helicopter-escapes-after-crash-while-fighting-nsw-bushfires
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6574015/firefighting-helicopter-crashes-into-dam-near-eden-man-taken-to-hospital/?cs=14264
https://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/2020/aair/ao-2020-003/
https://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/628682-nsw-bushfire-crash.html
Media:
The ATSB will investigate this afternoon's collision with water of a UH-1H helicopter which was conducting fire control operations near Eden on the NSW South Coast. The helicopter is reported to have ditched in a reservoir but the pilot was able to swim to the shore. https://t.co/pKaArMHQHa
— ATSB (@atsbgovau) January 9, 2020
An Australian Army Heavy Recovery Vehicle recovering a Bell UH-1H which ditched while filling up from the Ben Boyd Reservoir to fight bushfires. The pilot swam to shore.
— Andy Netherwood (@AndyNetherwood) January 12, 2020
Pic: Sgt Bill Solomou (ADF) pic.twitter.com/lLOPsvshNO
Images:
Photo of VH-ONZ courtesy AirHistory.net
Redcliffe (YRED)
30 May 2010; (c) Ian McDonell
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 09-Jan-2020 07:47 | gerard57 | Added |
| 09-Jan-2020 08:39 | Iceman 29 | Updated [Aircraft type, Embed code, Photo] |
| 09-Jan-2020 18:52 | Geno | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Location, Source, Embed code, Damage, Narrative] |
| 09-Jan-2020 19:41 | Kardz | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Location, Source, Embed code, Damage, Narrative] |
| 09-Jan-2020 20:00 | harro | Updated [Aircraft type] |
| 09-Jan-2020 20:58 | Geno | Updated [Source] |
| 12-Jan-2020 15:45 | Aerossurance | Updated [Embed code] |
| 13-Jan-2020 22:13 | Aerossurance | Updated [Embed code] |
| 25-Jan-2020 04:49 | Geno | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 22-Sep-2020 10:46 | Aerossurance | Updated [Location, Source] |
| 22-Sep-2020 10:48 | Aerossurance | Updated [Time, Narrative] |
| 22-Sep-2020 10:53 | Aerossurance | Updated [Narrative] |
| 22-Sep-2020 10:57 | Aerossurance | Updated [Narrative] |
| 15-Feb-2021 20:31 | harro | Updated [Operator, Departure airport, Destination airport, Narrative] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description