Wirestrike Incident Hiller UH-12E VH-ECK,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 217166
 
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Date:Wednesday 18 March 1987
Time:18:25
Type:Silhouette image of generic UH12 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Hiller UH-12E
Owner/operator:
Registration: VH-ECK
MSN:
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Location:4km W of Tamworth, NSW -   Australia
Phase: Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature:Ferry/positioning
Departure airport:Dalblair, NSW
Destination airport:Tamworth, NSW
Investigating agency: BASI
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
The pilot had been carrying out crop spraying operations, and was hurrying to return to his base before last light. He was concerned with the fuel state, and made an enroute landing, where one of the passengers dipped the tank. Believing that adequate fuel remained, the pilot took off again, but shortly afterwards the engine lost all power. During the subsequent autorotation, manoeuvring was necessary to avoid power lines. The helicopter then landed heavily and the main rotor blades struck and severed the tail boom. It was determined that at the time of the accident the aircraft had been operating for 7 minutes longer than the expected total endurance. The pilot had not kept an accurate record of fuel usage, and it was likely that his decision making processes had been impaired by fatigue. It was probable that the helicopter had been resting on sloping ground at the time the tank contents were checked, resulting in an erroneous reading on the dipstick.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: BASI
Report number: 
Status: Investigation completed
Duration:
Download report: Final report

Sources:

https://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/1987/aair/aair198702396/
https://www.atsb.gov.au/media/28608/aair198702396.pdf

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
03-Nov-2018 11:11 Pineapple Added

Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description

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