ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 75140
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| Date: | Sunday 13 June 2010 |
| Time: | 14:00 |
| Type: |  Robinson R22 Beta |
| Owner/operator: | Lone Eagle (WA) Pty. Ltd. |
| Registration: | VH-RPN |
| MSN: | 2241 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1993 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Mount Barnet Roadhouse, King Leopold Ranges, 257 km ENE of Derby, WA -
 Australia
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Agricultural |
| Departure airport: | Mount Barnet Roadhouse, King Leopold Ranges, WA |
| Investigating agency: | ATSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
On 13 June 2010, a Robinson Helicopter Co. R22 Beta (R22) helicopter, registered VH-RPN (RPN), was one of two helicopters engaged in aerial cattle mustering operations on a station property near the Mount Barnet Roadhouse, King Leopold Ranges, about 257 km east-north-east of Derby, Western Australia at approximate co ordinates: 16.656°S 125.951°E
The helicopters were operating from a nearby roadhouse. Information provided by the pilot of the second helicopter indicated that the muster commenced that morning between 07:00 and 0730 Western Standard Time (WST) and proceeded during the first part of the day without incident.
Drum-stock fuel was used to refuel both helicopters at about 10:30 and 12:00 WST from the same drum and using the same hand-operated fuel pump. The helicopters departed the roadhouse at about 12:30.
At about 13:00, the pilot of the second helicopter remembered that he had not added oil to his engine during the last refuel and radioed the pilot of VH-RPN that he was going to land. The pilot reported flying a short distance and landing at the old station homestead airstrip to add oil to his engine.
When he took off again to rejoin the muster, he was unable to contact the pilot of VH-RPN. He then noticed smoke coming from the vicinity of where VH-RPN had been working, flew to that location and saw that the helicopter had crashed and was on fire. The pilot of VH-RPN sustained fatal injuries.
The accident site was located at an elevation of about 1300 ft (400 m) on flat, clear terrain close to a small creek. The terrain surrounding the accident site was slightly undulating with numerous trees and saplings. There was no evidence to indicate that the helicopter struck any of those trees or saplings prior to the impact with the ground. The helicopter had collided heavily with the ground, collapsing the skid-landing gear and destroying the lower of the engine components, including the carburettor and induction manifold.
Associated ground contact marks were consistent with the helicopter’s tailcone also striking the ground in the immediate vicinity of the initial point of impact. The geometry of the ground marks in the immediate vicinity was consistent with the helicopter being in a significantly tail-down, slightly right landing skid-low attitude at impact. Those marks were consistent with the nose of the helicopter being about 30° to the right of the probable flight path immediately prior to colliding with the ground. The main wreckage was along the approximate direction of flight, about 10 m from the point of initial ground contact. An intense post-impact fire, the intensity of which was consistent with a significant quantity of fuel being on board the helicopter, consumed the main wreckage.
During the impact sequence, the helicopter’s tailcone was struck by one of the main rotor blades, as evidenced by paint transfer marks from the tailcone on the skin of that rotor blade. The tailcone broke into three segments and the rear part was 42 m from the main wreckage, along the approximate direction of flight. A forward section from one of the helicopter’s landing skids was found in line with the approximate direction of flight, about 100 m from the main wreckage.
The helicopter’s main rotor blades were intact, securely attached to the main rotor hub and with the main wreckage. Damage to both blades was consistent with impact forces and the effects of the post-impact fire. There was no evidence of the main rotor blades striking any foliage, terrain or other objects prior to the accident, or of pre-accident skin delamination on either blade. There was no evidence of ‘coning’. The tail rotor was intact and remained with the helicopter’s tailcone. There was no evidence that the tail rotor struck any foliage, terrain or other objects prior to the accident.
There was evidence of the pre-impact continuity of the main and tail rotor driveshafts. The main rotor gearbox rotated normally and examination of the clutch shaft assessed it to be capable of normal operation. Pre-impact continuity of the helicopter’s flight controls was evident.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
1. http://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/2010/aair/ao-2010-042.aspx
2. https://www.atsb.gov.au/media/2487293/ao2010042.pdf
3. http://helihub.com/2010/06/12/12-jun-10-vh-rpn-robinson-r22-near-mount-barnett-wa-australia-1f/
4. http://www.abc.net.au/rural/nt/content/201006/s2926488.htm
5. http://www.australianflying.com.au/news/atsb-investigation-report-robinson-r22-collision-with-terrain-june-13-2010
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Barnett_Station
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 15-Jun-2010 10:23 | harro | Added |
| 15-Jun-2010 11:40 | RobertMB | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Operator, Other fatalities, Location, Phase, Nature, Source, Narrative] |
| 07-Aug-2010 19:48 | RobertMB | Updated [Date, Source] |
| 06-Oct-2016 14:41 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Time, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 06-Oct-2016 14:54 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 19-Sep-2018 22:37 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Location, Nature] |
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