ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 223789
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| Date: | Monday 19 March 2018 |
| Time: | 13:40 |
| Type: |  Bell 206L-3 LongRanger III |
| Owner/operator: | |
| Registration: | |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 4 |
| Aircraft damage: | Minor |
| Location: | Pappinbarra, NSW -
 Australia
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Survey |
| Departure airport: | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities |
On 19 March 2018, at 1340 Eastern Daylight-saving Time (EDT), a Bell Helicopter 206L conducting an aerial weed survey struck an 11 kV powerline.
On board the helicopter was a pilot and three passengers. The scope of work was to track small creeks and rivers in search of noxious weeds. The pilot met the passengers earlier that day at a local airport. Prior to the flight, the crew conducted a job hazard analysis and discussed proposed routes for identification of anticipated hazards. The pilot also gave a detailed passenger brief. During the brief, one passenger was instructed to assist the pilot in identifying hazards such as wires.
Approximately 2 hours 10 minutes into the second flight of the day, at a height of 200 ft, the aircraft struck an unknown and unseen 11 kV powerline. The powerline had a span of 650 m. In addition to the long bay length, trees on one side and a building on the other obscured the poles from sight. The span also ran perpendicular to the main flow of powerlines that ran along the valley.
The powerline was severed by the aircraft’s wire strike protection system (WSPS). The pilot announced the emergency to the passengers and immediately landed the helicopter in a paddock below. The time frame of the incident prevented the pilot from making an external emergency transmission.
Upon landing, the pilot assessed the passengers and found that one had sustained minor injuries. The pilot and one of the passengers walked to a nearby farmhouse, called emergency services and reported the event to the aircraft operator. Emergency services attended the scene 50 minutes later.
Sources:
https://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/occurrence-briefs/2018/aviation/ab-2018-039/
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 08-Apr-2019 14:31 | Pineapple | Added |
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