ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 231
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: | Monday 29 January 2001 |
| Time: | 18:00 |
| Type: |  Bell 206L-1 LongRanger II |
| Owner/operator: | Central Queensland Holdings Pty Ltd |
| Registration: | VH-WEB |
| MSN: | 45275 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1979 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Connors Range, 8 km SSW of Sarina, QLD -
 Australia
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Agricultural |
| Departure airport: | Inneston, Queensland |
| Pleystowe, Queensland | |
| Investigating agency: | ATSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities |
The pilot of a Bell Long Ranger 206L-1 VH-WEB was returning to base following an agricultural crop-spraying task. While transiting a ridge line of the Connors Mountain Range, the helicopter collided with wires and impacted the ground in a densely wooded area about 200 metres beyond the wires, 8 Km south south-west of Sarina, QLD.
The pilot received fatal injuries and the helicopter was destroyed in a post-crash fire. Witnesses had observed a helicopter approaching the ridge line at a very low height, and reported that, shortly afterwards, a pall of black smoke was visible.
The helicopter had struck two three-strand lightweight high-tensile steel wires of a power line supplying a repeater site. A wire strike protection system (WSPS) had not been fitted to the helicopter. The wires were aligned on 060 degrees magnetic, with a maximum height of 31.5 metres for the upper wire and 30.1 metres for the lower wire. The position of the wires was not annotated on the relevant Visual Terminal Charts and they did not have high visibility devices attached. Company employees said that it was usual for the pilot to fly at a low height when transiting to and from the work location.
Examination of the wreckage indicated that the helicopter had struck the ground with a vertical downward force and at a low forward speed on a heading of 030 degrees magnetic. The main rotor blades were severely fractured by contact with the surrounding trees. The tail boom was severed just forward of the horizontal stabiliser and the tail rotor gearbox and blades were intact. Fire destroyed the helicopter cabin and heavily damaged the engine compartment and upper transmission deck. Examination of the engine to determine pre-impact airworthiness was limited due to fire damage.
Sources:
1. ATSB Occurrence Nr. 200100443 at https://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/2001/aair/aair200100443/
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 21-Jan-2008 10:00 | ASN archive | Added |
| 26-Aug-2016 22:43 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Time, Cn, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Damage, Narrative] |
| 26-Aug-2016 22:44 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
| 08-Jun-2022 08:44 | Ron Averes | Updated [Location] |
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