ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 150583
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: | Thursday 8 November 2012 |
| Time: | 20:38 LT |
| Type: |  Robinson R22 Beta |
| Owner/operator: | Wakatipu Aero Club |
| Registration: | ZK-HCG |
| MSN: | 1499 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1990 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Criffel Range, Otago -
 New Zealand
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Wanaka, New Zealand (WKA/NZWF) |
| Queenstown New Zealand (ZQN/NZQN) | |
| Investigating agency: | CAA NZ |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
A witness on the ground saw that the helicopter was descending at a high rate with the main rotor stationary before strike the ground. Experienced pilot killed in “perfect weather conditions” after reportedly “falling out of the sky”. According to a contemporary newspaper report (see link #3)
"Emergency services responded to a fatal Helicopter crash on the Criffel Range, near Wanaka last night.
Sergeant Aaron Nicholson, the Wanaka Police SAR Coordinator, confirmed that a Robinson 22 Helicopter crashed at about 8.40 pm last night, Thursday 8th of November 2012. He stated that Police, Fire, St John and Land SAR personnel all responded with some urgency to the scene with support from the Otago rescue helicopter out of Dunedin and another Helicopter from Queenstown.
Nicholson stated that the joint response ran very smoothly and emergency services, including Land SAR teams, got to the site to find significant wreckage and the sole occupant, near the wreckage, deceased.
Fire crews on site contained any fire risk, while Police enquiries and scene examination confirmed the Pilot was the only person in the helicopter.
Further enquiries indicated that the deceased and a friend had earlier flown from Queenstown to Wanaka Airport to pick up another light aircraft and then both returned to Queenstown via the Cardrona Valley, one flying the aircraft the other flying the R22 Helicopter. The deceased's friend arrived in Queenstown unaware of any incident involving the R22 Helicopter.
Police stated that the pilot was Julian Dean Kramer (52), also known as Julianne Kramer – chief flying instructor at Wakatipu Aero Club - and have reported the matter to the Coroner and Civil Aviation Authority for further investigation."
As a result of a loss of main rotor control, the main rotor blades had diverged from the normal plane of rotation initially striking the tail boom. No technical causal factors identified (though inspections were overdue). The pilot, who had just 68.8 hours helicopter experience (although more on fixed wing), was under self-imposed pressure due to the planned flight being due to land just 8 minutes before Evening Civil Twilight.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
1. http://www.caa.govt.nz/Accidents_and_Incidents/Accident_Reports/ZK-HCG_Fatal.pdf
2. https://www.odt.co.nz/news/queenstown-lakes/233985/queenstown-woman-killed-chopper-crash
3. http://www.voxy.co.nz/national/fatal-helicopter-crash-near-wanaka/5/140057
4. http://www.caa.govt.nz/script/AirReg3.asp?Mark=HCG&Query3=Get+Reg+Mark
6. http://www.caa.govt.nz/Weekly_Accident_Reports/Accidents_registered_to_12_Nov_2012.pdf
7. http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/ZK-HCG.html
8. http://helihub.com/2012/11/08/08-nov-12-robinson-r22-central-otago-new-zealand-1f/
9,
Images:
Ardmore 2003
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 08-Nov-2012 13:53 | Geno | Added |
| 08-Nov-2012 14:29 | Geno | Updated [Date, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Damage, Narrative] |
| 09-Nov-2012 02:23 | gerard57 | Updated [Date] |
| 09-Nov-2012 13:16 | Geno | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Source] |
| 12-Nov-2012 12:45 | flyernzl | Updated [[Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Source]] |
| 14-Nov-2012 15:33 | RobertMB | Updated [Registration, Source] |
| 14-Nov-2012 15:33 | RobertMB | Updated [[Registration, Source]] |
| 14-Nov-2012 15:33 | RobertMB | Updated [[[Registration, Source]]] |
| 16-Aug-2014 11:51 | Aerossurance | Updated [Time, Location, Source, Damage, Narrative] |
| 04-Feb-2017 11:07 | Anon. | Updated [Narrative] |
| 19-Nov-2017 11:41 | harro | Updated [Source] |
| 25-Aug-2018 22:29 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 04-Feb-2022 22:56 | Ron Averes | Updated [Location] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation