ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 210638
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Friday 1 August 1997 |
| Time: | 13:10 |
| Type: |  Bell 47G-3B1 |
| Owner/operator: | |
| Registration: | VH-CSW |
| MSN: | 6765 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Comboyne, NSW -
 Australia
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Unknown |
| Departure airport: | Comboyne, NSW |
| Comboyne, NSW | |
| Investigating agency: | BASI |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The flight proceeded as planned initially and the pilot was able to remain in control of the helicopter with one person, the other pilot, who weighed about 70 kg, suspended by the abseiling rope. The person at the helipad stated that the pilot then contacted him by radio and asked that the other person standing there (who had not attended the briefing) also put his weight on the rope. That spectator quickly moved under the helicopter and applied his weight, reportedly about 80 kg, onto the rope. The helicopter rolled rapidly to the right and began to go out of control. When it became evident to the persons on the rope that the pilot could not control the helicopter with both their weights applied, they both quickly let go and attempted to move away from under the helicopter. Although the casual pilot managed to get clear, the other person's ankle became entangled in the rope and he was lifted by the helicopter as it banked steeply right, (now out of control), and it proceeded to pivot 180 degrees to the right and move across the road towards a small service station, dragging the person below it by the leg. One of the helicopter's main rotor blades struck the steel upright of a large illuminated sign; the helicopter then descended and struck the rear of a vehicle parked in front of the service station. The helicopter landed heavily beside this vehicle with its tailboom broken off but with its engine still running and main rotor still turning, causing major damage to the vehicle and multiple blade strikes to the building. The pilot was winded in the accident, partly because the shoulder harness section of his inertia reel seatbelt had failed on impact. He managed, with some difficulty, to activate the emergency fuel cut-off to shut down the engine after unsuccessfully attempting to stop the engine by switching off the magnetos. Spectators arrived to assist the pilot and passenger from the severely damaged cabin and to extinguish a fuel fire that had started below the ruptured left fuel tank. The two occupants of the helicopter and the person caught by the leg by the abseiling rope all received minor injuries. The helicopter was destroyed and severe damage was caused to the service station buildings and the vehicle parked in front of the office. Although there were persons in the buildings when the helicopter crashed, none of them were injured.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
https://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/1997/aair/199702470/
https://www.atsb.gov.au/media/4930991/199702470.pdf
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 08-May-2018 15:31 | Pineapple | Added |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation