ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 46209
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: | Friday 26 August 2005 |
| Time: | 17:15 LT |
| Type: |  Robinson R22 |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | ZK-HVN |
| MSN: | 0048 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | near Springs Junction, West Coast -
 New Zealand
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | |
| Investigating agency: | CAA NZ |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities |
A friend of the family visited the household (5 km north of Springs Junction) and as the weather was favourable for flying and the pilot was eager to use his helicopter, he invited his friend to be the shooter on a short deer hunting flight. The helicopter was refuelled and the pilot and his passenger took off at approximately 16:30 hours. The 45 minute flight was without incident and after unsuccessfully pursuing some deer the pilot elected to return home. At approximately 17:15 hours the pilot’s son realised that ZK-HVN was approaching home base from the north. The son described the turn and flare to land as being more abrupt than normal, and almost immediately the helicopter began to rotate to the right, apparently out of control. He heard the engine noise decrease rapidly and observed the helicopter rotate to the right two or three times at approximately 30-40ft AGL. It moved away from the house toward the neighbouring paddock, and suddenly fell to the ground in an almost inverted attitude. He reported that the engine sounded normal throughout the time that the helicopter was airborne.
The passenger, who had flown with the pilot previously, said that as they approached to land all seemed normal. As the helicopter was flaring to land he saw that the hook of the deer recovery strop was bouncing around on the floor of the cabin, something he had not seen before. The passenger reported that almost immediately after this observation, the vibration increased significantly, the helicopter’s nose rapidly yawed to the right and then continued to spin to the right for a number of rotations. He looked across at the pilot who was struggling to maintain control of the helicopter.
The pilot’s son immediately ran to the aircraft to render assistance. The passenger had partially extricated himself from the wreckage, but the pilot had died at the scene.
The Tail Rotor Drive Shaft (TRDS) had failed in flight causing the helicopter to become uncontrollable during the landing phase.
ZK-HVN had been issued with a non terminating airworthiness certificate, which was effectively no longer valid, as the maintenance had not been conducted in accordance with the requirements of CAR 21.179 (a)(2). The certifying LAME did not directly supervise the unlicensed personnel as he was required to do during the final assembly of the TRDS. The aft coupling on the TRDS was assembled incorrectly. The duplicate inspection was not correctly conducted.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
1. http://www.caa.govt.nz/Accidents_and_Incidents/Accident_Reports/ZK-HVN_Fatal_26Aug2005.pdf
2. https://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/243595-fatal-crash-blamed-incorrectly-assembled-tail-rotor-drive-shaft.html
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 04-Nov-2008 10:35 | ASN archive | Added |
| 06-Jan-2012 16:28 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Cn, Operator, Location, Phase, Source, Narrative] |
| 16-Aug-2014 12:47 | Aerossurance | Updated [Time, Location, Phase, Source, Narrative] |
| 29-Sep-2016 11:37 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 07-Feb-2022 04:12 | Ron Averes | Updated [Location, Narrative] |
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