ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 138221
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| Date: | Friday 26 August 2011 |
| Time: | 15:25 |
| Type: |  Hughes 369D |
| Owner/operator: | Vanuatu Helicopters |
| Registration: | YJ-HEL |
| MSN: | 80-0778D |
| Year of manufacture: | 1980 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Unua village, Malekula Island -
 Vanuatu
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | External load operation |
| Departure airport: | Malekula Island |
| Malekula Island | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities |
On 26 August 2011, the pilot of a Hughes 369D helicopter, registered YJ‑HEL, was conducting sling load operations near a small village 183 km north‑north‑west of Port Vila, Vanuatu. As the helicopter approached the village, with two passengers onboard, witnesses heard a single, loud bang and watched the helicopter fall 10 to 15 m to the ground before coming to rest on its right side. One of the passengers received minor injuries and was able to exit the helicopter unaided. The other passenger received serious injuries and the pilot was fatally injured.
The ATSB found that as the helicopter approached the village to land, the wire rope attached to the helicopter’s cargo hook contacted a tree. That contact resulted in the rope fouling on the main rotor blades, which in turn led to the detachment of segments of the rotor blades and the tail boom. This rendered the helicopter uncontrollable. It was also found that the occupants of the helicopter were not wearing the installed shoulder harness restraints or using flight helmets during the flight.
Sources:
http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/199210/helicopter-crash-in-vanuatu-kills-pilot
http://www.airport-data.com/images/aircraft/large/000/648/648928.jpg (photo)
http://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/2011/aair/ao-2011-108.aspx
NTSB WPR11WA421
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 28-Aug-2011 16:12 | Alpine Flight | Added |
| 28-Aug-2011 17:12 | RobertMB | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Location, Source, Narrative] |
| 29-Aug-2011 01:06 | Alpine Flight | Updated [Time, Aircraft type] |
| 02-Oct-2012 01:25 | harro | Updated [Date, Time, Location, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 15-Dec-2021 03:24 | Ron Averes | Updated [Location, Departure airport, Destination airport] |
| 02-Jul-2023 05:18 | Ron Averes | Updated [[Location, Departure airport, Destination airport]] |
| 28-Sep-2023 04:03 | Ron Averes | Updated [[[Location, Departure airport, Destination airport]]] |
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