ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 269587
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: | Sunday 20 June 2021 |
| Time: | 13:50 |
| Type: |  Eurocopter AS 350B3 Ecureuil |
| Owner/operator: | |
| Registration: | |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Minor |
| Location: | Mt Difficult, VIC -
 Australia
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | External load operation |
| Departure airport: | Mt Difficult, VIC |
| Mt Difficult, VIC | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities |
The helicopter was involved in lifting operations transporting materials to a worksite on Mount Difficult, approximately 38 km south-east of Horsham, Victoria. The lift operations were conducted by a single pilot, using a 100-foot line, and supported by a second pilot acting as ground crew. The ground crew member was also an experienced long line pilot. The two crew had swapped roles and worked extensively together throughout the project.
The pilot had completed eight lifts that day and at 13:50 local time, after all required lifts had been completed, the helicopter returned to the Mount Difficult Helicopter Landing Site (HLS) near the worksite. The landing site was a confined area on the edge of a rock ledge with trees and shrubs nearby. The established procedure was to lower the remote hook and line to the ground before releasing the line from the belly of the aircraft at the lowest safe height. The helicopter would then reposition for an approach. This allowed the helicopter to approach the HLS without the 100-foot line attached.
The pilot placed the line to the south of the HLS and re-positioned to land. Most of the line was lying on the ground, but a small section of the line was suspended in a sapling 10–12 feet right front of the aircraft nose. The aircraft landed clear of the line, and after receiving confirmation from the ground crew member that the landing position looked safe, the helicopter was shut down.
As the engine spooled down the ground crew member commenced sorting and coiling the line into the back of the aircraft. This placed tension on the line between the coiled section in the helicopter and the looped section in the tree, thereby bringing the line into the path of the rotor disc. This was caught by a blade and subsequently entangled the rotor head. The line pulled the ground crew member’s arm upwards, snared their lower leg and body, before pulling them sideways along the ground.
The crew member sustained minor bruising and was later cleared of concussion or serious injury. The line was later found to have wrapped around the mast, resulting in minor damage to the swashplate, mast, rotor head and main rotor blades.
Sources:
http://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/occurrence-briefs/2021/aviation/ab-2021-019/
http://aerossurance.com/helicopters/snagged-sling-heslo-shutdown/
Media:
A good example of never letting your guard down after higher risk activities have ended and treating even small unexpected events as a threat. https://t.co/dfPOWsOYLK #helicopter #heslo #accident #flightsafety #aviationsafety pic.twitter.com/bGEwMxIvl3
— Aerossurance (@Aerossurance) January 2, 2022
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 15-Nov-2021 11:09 | Pineapple | Added |
| 22-Dec-2021 18:41 | Aerossurance | Updated [Aircraft type] |
| 02-Jan-2022 12:39 | Aerossurance | Updated [Date, Source, Embed code] |
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