ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 219
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| Date: | Monday 22 November 2004 |
| Time: | 12:15 |
| Type: |  Bell 206B JetRanger |
| Owner/operator: | Heli-Aust |
| Registration: | VH-CSH |
| MSN: | 358 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1969 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | near Golden Highway, 12 km SW of Dunedoo, NSW -
 Australia
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Agricultural |
| Departure airport: | Dubbo, NSW |
| Dubbo, NSW | |
| Investigating agency: | ATSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
This JetRanger led a varied career before being re-registered VH-CSH (the third) in 2003. In was first registered as VH-PMR to the NSW Department of Main Roads to whom it had been registered in April 1969. Sold off by the Department in the early 1970s, it went to Vowell Services (Pty) Ltd of Tyabb, Victoria with whom saw service in support of the Australian National Antarctic Research Expedition project (ANARE).
Returning to Australia in the 1980s it then saw service with the Port Hedland, WA, Port Authority as a ship pilot's craft. Massive iron ore carriers are loaded with iron ore arrive the port and presumably the chopper was used as an "air taxi" to off load the ship pilots after they had ushered the carriers out of port.
In the new millennium (2000) it was in Queensland giving joy rides and later went back to NSW with Just Helicopters and used as a fire fighting spotter. It crashed near The Golden Highway, at Dunedoo on 22 November 2004, having by then been re-registered VH-CSH. It was conducting aerial work in support of locust plague control in the Dubbo, NSW area when it struck power lines. According to the summary of the official NTSB report into the crash of VH-CSH:
"At about 1215 EST on 30 October 2004, the pilot a of Bell Helicopter Company 206B helicopter, registration VH-CSH, was engaged in aerial work operations in support of a plague locust control campaign. Also on board were two persons who were assisting the pilot in locating and determining the size of the locust infestation.
The helicopter was operating at a low level approximately 12 km south-west of Dunedoo NSW, when it struck powerlines and impacted the ground heavily. The pilot and the rear seat occupant (both male) suffered fatal injuries, while the remaining (female) passenger suffered serious injuries.
The investigation found that the occupants of the helicopter were generally aware of the existence and location of the powerline during their operations.
ATSB Conclusion:
1. The operator and the pilot were authorised and qualified to conduct low-level aerial locust
spotting operations
2. The two Rural Lands Protection Board rangers were on board the helicopter as part of the
plague locust control campaign operating crew, and were conducting the operation in accordance with NSW Department of Primary Industry standard operating procedures
3. The occupants of the helicopter were generally aware of the existence and position of the power lines
4. The helicopter was capable of normal operation prior to striking the spur line the helicopter struck the spur line and subsequently impacted the ground.
Pilot later named at Ross Mill, from Bendigo, NSW
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
1. http://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/2004/aair/aair200404590.aspx
2. http://www.edcoatescollection.com/ac1/austmz/VH-PMR.html
3. http://www.atsb.gov.au/newsroom/2006/release/2006_08.aspx (press release)
4. https://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/153032-helicopter-accident-dubbo-nsw.html
5. http://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/2004/AAIR/pdf/aair200404590_001.pdf
6. https://www.helis.com/database/cn/36002/
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 21-Jan-2008 10:00 | ASN archive | Added |
| 15-Apr-2014 16:59 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Cn, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Damage, Narrative] |
| 15-Apr-2014 17:03 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
| 15-Apr-2014 17:12 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Operator, Location, Source, Narrative] |
| 19-Jan-2020 08:04 | harro | Updated [Embed code, Accident report, ] |
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