Accident Robinson R44 VH-KOV,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 278401
 
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Date:Monday 16 May 2022
Time:15:30
Type:Silhouette image of generic R44 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Robinson R44
Owner/operator:Wellspring Rural Services Pty Ltd
Registration: VH-KOV
MSN: 1762
Year of manufacture:2007
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 4
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Category:Accident
Location:near Nathan River Station, NT -   Australia
Phase: En route
Nature:Passenger - Non-Scheduled/charter/Air Taxi
Departure airport:Lorella Springs Homestead, NT
Destination airport:Lorella Springs Homestead, NT
Investigating agency: ATSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
During sight seeing operations, the engine ran rough and failed. The pilot conducted an autorotation where the helicopter collided with terrain and was destroyed. The pilot and two passengers sustained minor injuries and one passenger sustained serious injuries.

Contributing factors:
• During cruise flight, the clutch actuator lower bearing seized resulting in a total loss of drive from the engine to the rotor system. The subsequent autorotation and collision with terrain over an inhospitable area, resulted in serious injuries to 2 passengers and minor injuries to the pilot and remaining passenger.
• The clutch actuator lower bearing was not being maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s maintenance procedures, which likely resulted in the bearing failure.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: ATSB
Report number: AO-2022-030
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 1 year and 2 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

https://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/2022/aair/ao-2022-030/

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
27-May-2022 16:09 harro Added
03-Aug-2023 06:02 harro Updated

Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description

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