ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 120993
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| Date: | Monday 3 January 2011 |
| Time: | 16:14 |
| Type: |  Robinson R44 Raven 1 |
| Owner/operator: | Heli-Charters |
| Registration: | VH-HOT |
| MSN: | 1953 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2008 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 4 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | offshore Cairns, close to mouth of Barron River, QLD -
 Australia
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Cairns Airport, QLD (CNS/YBCS) |
| Cairns Airport, QLD (CNS/YBCS) | |
| Investigating agency: | ATSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities |
A Robinson R44 Raven 1 Clipper helicopter, registered VH-HOT, departed Cairns Airport, Queensland for a 30 minute charter. On board the helicopter was the pilot and three non-English speaking passengers. About 25 minutes into the flight, at about 400 ft above sea level, the engine failed and the rotor low rpm horn sounded. The pilot broadcast a Mayday and entered autorotation. During the descent he deployed the inflatable floats, however the right float did not fully inflate.
The pilot stated that at 50 feet above the sea, the helicopter entered an uncommanded 360 degree yaw to the left. The pilot was unable to control the yaw and the helicopter impacted the water heavily and turned onto its right side. The pilot assisted the passengers to egress the helicopter and inflated their life preservers. They were rescued from the water by fishermen in a small boat.
In July 2003, the Robinson Helicopter Company released a safety notice, SN-39. This notice addressed unusual vibration that can indicate a main rotor blade crack. It directs pilots to make an immediate safe landing if main rotor vibration rapidly increases, or becomes severe during flight. They are not to attempt to continue flight to a convenient destination.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
1. http://www..gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/2011/aair/ao-2011-001.aspx
2. http://helihub.com/2011/01/03/03-jan-11-robinson-r22-cairns-australia/
3. http://www.cairns.com.au/article/2011/01/04/142805_local-news.html
4. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/breaking-news/chopper-crash-off-cairns/story-fn3dxity-1225981200389
5. https://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/438372-chopper-crash-off-cairns.html
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 08-Mar-2011 00:24 | Petro | Added |
| 22-Dec-2011 14:23 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Registration, Narrative] |
| 22-Dec-2011 14:29 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Phase, Source, Narrative] |
| 22-Dec-2011 14:34 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Nature, Source, Narrative] |
| 04-May-2014 17:22 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Cn, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 30-Sep-2016 17:25 | Aerossurance | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Narrative] |
| 24-Jul-2023 09:56 | harro | Updated [[Time, Aircraft type, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Narrative]] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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