ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 204214
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| Date: | Wednesday 13 February 2008 |
| Time: | 19:14 |
| Type: |  Robinson R44 |
| Owner/operator: | All Sky Helicopters Pty Ltd |
| Registration: | VH-ZDP |
| MSN: | 1246 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2002 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Other fatalities: | 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Location: | Kennedy Range National Park, 53 km NW of Gascoyne Junction, WA -
 Australia
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Agricultural |
| Departure airport: | Gascoyne Junction, Western Australia |
| Gascoyne Junction, Western Australia | |
| Investigating agency: | ATSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
On 13 February 2008, a Piper Aircraft Corporation PA-18 Super Cub aircraft VH-OUS and a Robinson Helicopter Company R44 Raven helicopter VH-ZDP were engaged in feral goat culling operations in the Kennedy Range National Park, WA.
The two aircraft collided in mid-air as the pilot of the helicopter executed a climbing left turn that brought the two aircraft into close proximity. The pilot and shooter occupants of the R44 were aware that the Super Cub was approaching them at the same height, and the helicopter pilot was aware of the position of the aeroplane during the helicopter's climbing turn, but it appeared probable that the pilot and spotter occupants of the Super Cub did not see the helicopter.
The helicopter's main rotor blades struck the Super Cub's right wing, severing the lift struts. The right wing detached in flight, and the Super Cub fell to the ground. The pilot and spotter were fatally injured. The helicopter was able to land safely in the Kennedy Range National Park, 53 km NW of Gascoyne Junction, WA. The two person on board Robinson R44 VH-ZDP were unharmed.
There was substantial damage to one of the main rotor blades consistent with the in-flight contact with the Super Cub’s right wing. A section of the blade’s skin and honeycomb structure was forced upwards between the leading edge spar and the trim tab, with part of the Super Cub’s wing fabric retained within the blade. In addition, the blade tip had a section of the skin and honeycomb missing at the trailing edge. Both main rotor blades showed paint transfer along most of their length, and there were creases on the lower surface of the blades’ skin.
There was also evidence of paint transfer and impact damage on the lower left area of the R44’s chin bubble, consistent with contact between the helicopter and the Super Cub’s right wingtip. The R44 pilot reported that that contact resulted in buckling of the floor pan.The investigation was unable to determine at what point in the collision sequence the contact occurred between the R44 chin bubble and the aeroplane.
The investigation determined that the occupants of the Super Cub were probably unaware of the proximity of the R44, and that the R44 pilot did not recognise the collision hazard until there was insufficient time to prevent contact with the Super Cub.
The investigation also identified that there were no formalised operating procedures detailing the conduct of culling operations involving multiple aircraft that may have assisted in the maintenance of aircraft separation.
In response to this accident, a number of safety actions were undertaken by the R44 and Super Cub operators. In addition, extensive safety action was carried out by the WA Government departments that were involved in the operation. That included in the areas of risk management, the review and amendment of guidelines and procedures affecting multiple aircraft operations, the adoption of Safety Management Systems, and the provision of training for departmental personnel.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
1. ATSB: https://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/2008/aair/ao-2008-010/
NTSB
3. https://www.regosearch.com/aircraft/au/ZDP
4. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2008-02-14/police-searching-for-site-of-reported-plane-crash/1042254
5. Coroners Report into the two fatalities (Crew of Piper VH-OUS): https://www.coronerscourt.wa.gov.au/_files/roulston_kean_finding.pdf
6. https://www.pprune.org/pacific-general-aviation-questions/313340-fatal-mid-air-collision.html
7. https://thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=145&ContentID=58533
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 12-Jan-2018 13:12 | Pineapple | Added |
| 12-Jan-2018 13:13 | harro | Updated [Source] |
| 02-Nov-2018 00:12 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Time, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
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