ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 746
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| Date: | Monday 15 June 1992 |
| Time: | 07:05 |
| Type: |  Robinson R22 Beta |
| Owner/operator: | Freestone Nominees Pty Ltd |
| Registration: | VH-HBK |
| MSN: | 546 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | 20km SE of Julia Creek, QLD -
 Australia
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Ferry/positioning |
| Departure airport: | Congewoi Station, Queensland |
| Taldora Station, Queensland | |
| Investigating agency: | BASI |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
On June 15, 1992, about 0705 local time, a Robinson R22 Beta helicopter, registered in Australia as VH-HBK, crashed near Julia Creek, Australia, after of the main rotor hub and tail boom separated during an intended ferry flight. The pilot was killed, and the helicopter was destroyed. The pilot held a commercial helicopter pilot certificate and had accumulated 1,035 pilot flight hours, 772 of which were in the R22 helicopter. The weather at the time and location
of the accident was reported as fine and calm.
When the helicopter had not arrived at its destination, a search was commenced. The wreckage was found the following morning close to the intended route. It was burnt out. The main rotor hub with the blades attached was found approximately 140 metres from the burnt out fuselage which had bounced several metres after impacting the ground in a steep nose-down attitude.
There were no witnesses to the accident. The pilot was reported to have been fit and well rested prior to the flight. On ferry flights, he generally flew the helicopter at about 1500 ft above ground level (AGL). The weather in the area on the morning of the accident was reported to have been fine and calm.
The relative positions of the main rotor hub assembly and the fuselage indicated that separation of the main rotor occurred during flight. Examination of the main rotor mast showed that the mast failed in torsional overload between the swash plate and the hub assembly.
No known aircraft were operating in the area at the time of the accident with which the helicopter might have conflicted. Information from other local aircraft operators indicated that large concentrations of birds were not uncommon in the area at that time of the year. However, not withstanding the severe fire damage to the fuselage, no evidence of a bird strike was found.
The drive train between the engine and transmission were examined at the accident site and later in a workshop. The inspection revealed no abnormalities or faults that could have contributed to the accident. Australian Investigators found the following factors relevant to the in-flight separation of the main rotor hub and subsequent crash of the helicopter:
"1. For reasons which could not be determined, a mast bump occurred during flight; and
2. The main rotor mast failed due to torsional overload as a result of the mast bumping."
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
1. http://www..gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/1992/aair/aair199202579.aspx
2. http://www.griffin-helicopters.co.uk/accidentdetails.aspx?accidentkey=50773
3. http://web.archive.org/web/20110920024139/http://www.rotorspot.nl/product/r22.htm
4. http://www.planetrace.co.uk/r22_0501-1000_29.html
5. http://www.atsb.gov.au/media/24708/ASOR199202579.PDF
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 21-Jan-2008 10:00 | ASN archive | Added |
| 02-Mar-2008 00:22 | Andrew Whitton | Updated |
| 22-Dec-2011 15:42 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Operator, Location, Source, Narrative] |
| 22-Dec-2011 15:46 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 03-May-2014 23:47 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Operator, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 25-May-2016 14:30 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
| 09-Jun-2022 10:53 | Ron Averes | Updated [Location] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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