Accident Bell 47G-5A VH-SKU,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 219277
 
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Date:Tuesday 29 November 1988
Time:09:15
Type:Silhouette image of generic B47G model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Bell 47G-5A
Owner/operator:
Registration: VH-SKU
MSN: 25052
Fatalities:Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Category:Accident
Location:7km km WNW of Doomadgee, QLD -   Australia
Phase: Initial climb
Nature:Ferry/positioning
Departure airport:Doomadgee, QLD
Destination airport:Hell's Gate mustering camp (75 km NW of Doomadgee), QLD
Investigating agency: BASI
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
The pilot conducted a daily inspection of the helicopter prior to meeting another company pilot to fly two helicopters to a mustering camp. After start he reported by radio to the pilot of the lead aircraft that he was ready to depart. Ground witnesses saw the two helicopters depart in company. The lead pilot proceeded to Hell's Gate and landed but the second aircraft did not arrive. The second helicopter was found one day later about 7 km from Doomadgee and on the extended centre-line of the runway. Examination of the wreckage indicates that the helicopter struck the ground inverted and with a high rate of descent. No pre-existing defects were found in the helicopter. No evidence to indicate that the pilot was other than healthy or suffered from any incapacitation was found during a post-mortem examination. While the factors associated with the cause of this accident were not determined, one possibility is that the pilot suffered a flicker induced seizure. This phenomenon can be caused by the passage of sunlight through the main rotor creating a strobe effect in the cockpit. It may have resulted in control inputs, by the pilot, which could have caused the helicopter to become inverted and crash.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: BASI
Report number: 
Status: Investigation completed
Duration:
Download report: Final report

Sources:

https://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/1988/aair/aair198803504/


Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
10-Dec-2018 10:53 Pineapple Added
02-Jan-2019 09:07 harro Updated [Aircraft type, Source, Accident report, ]

Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description

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