ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 181167
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| Date: | Saturday 7 November 2015 |
| Time: | 19:30 |
| Type: |  Eurocopter EC 135T1 |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | VH-GKK |
| MSN: | 0103 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1999 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Watagans National Park, S of Cessnock, NSW -
 Australia
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Breeza, New South Wales |
| Mona Vale, New South Wales | |
| Investigating agency: | ATSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
At about 1730 AEDT on 7 November 2015, the owner-pilot of a Eurocopter EC135 T1, registered VH-GKK, departed Breeza, New South Wales, on a private flight to Terrey Hills, New South Wales. The flight was conducted under the visual flight rules and there were two passengers on board.
About 40 km to the south-west of the Liddell mine, the pilot diverted towards the coast, probably after encountering adverse weather conditions. Witnesses in the Laguna area observed the helicopter overfly the Watagan Creek valley in the direction of higher terrain. The helicopter was then observed to return and land in a cleared area in the valley.
After 40 minutes on the ground, the pilot departed to the east towards rising terrain in marginal weather conditions. About seven minutes later and approximately 9 km east of the interim landing site, the helicopter collided with terrain. A search was initiated about 36 hours later. The helicopter wreckage was found at about 1840 on 9 November 2015. The pilot and two passengers were fatally injured.
Contributing factor
The pilot departed an interim landing site for Terrey Hills under the visual flight rules with a high risk of encountering forecast cloud and reduced visibility. Due to the likely presence of cloud, the pilot probably experienced a loss of visual reference leading to a collision with terrain.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/three-people-aboard-missing-nsw-helicopter-20151109-gkudtm.html
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-11-09/wreckage-of-missing-helicopter-found/6925846
https://www.9news.com.au/national/2015/11/09/16/13/up-to-nine-aircraft-scouring-northern-nsw-for-missing-helicopter
http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/three-killed-in-helicopter-crash-20151109-gkuq4u.html
2018: https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/millionaire-pilot-lost-visibility-in-bad-weather-before-chopper-crash-20180424-p4zbft.html
__________
ATSB report: https://www.atsb.gov.au/media/5774221/ao-2015-131_final.pdf
Location
Images:
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 09-Nov-2015 18:18 | bidgee | Added |
| 09-Nov-2015 18:27 | Aerossurance | Updated [Aircraft type, Damage] |
| 22-Sep-2016 09:55 | Aerossurance | Updated [Location] |
| 24-Apr-2018 06:08 | harro | Updated [Time, Other fatalities, Narrative] |
| 24-Apr-2018 07:39 | Iceman 29 | Updated [Source, Photo, ] |
| 24-Apr-2018 07:47 | Iceman 29 | Updated [Source, Photo, ] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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