ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 65940
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| Date: | Tuesday 23 June 2009 |
| Time: | 12:23 |
| Type: |  Bell 206B JetRanger |
| Owner/operator: | Hugh Acton-Adams t/a Rotor Solutions Australia |
| Registration: | VH-CAP |
| MSN: | 2236 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1977 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Tabletop, 24 Km NNE of Albury, NSW -
 Australia
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Agricultural |
| Departure airport: | ALA, Tabletop, NSW |
| ALA, Tabletop, NSW | |
| Investigating agency: | ATSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
At about 11:00 Eastern Standard Time on 23 June 2009, a Bell Helicopter Company 206B JetRanger III helicopter, registered VH-CAP commenced agricultural spraying operations at a property located 24 km north-north-east of Albury Aerodrome, New South Wales. At 12:23 EST the pilot repositioned to commence an impromptu spray run that resulted in the helicopter flight path crossing a powerline that was known to the pilot.
The pilot reported that during the impromptu spray run, he was preoccupied with a request from the property owner to modify the planned spray sequence and forgot about the wire until he sighted it a short distance ahead. In response, the pilot initiated a climb to avoid the wire. He heard the helicopter contact the wire and felt the wire arrest the forward movement.
Although the helicopter was fitted with wire-strike protection system (WSPS) equipment, the wire strike was outside the strike angle and cable span design parameters of the WSPS. The investigation was unable to determine whether the WSPS might have operated as intended, had the wire continued its initial movement towards the cutter blades before itself breaking.
The pilot's last recollection was seeing the ground rapidly approaching. He regained consciousness an unknown period of time later, still securely restrained in the wreckage. He managed to extricate himself and notify his ground crew. The pilot sustained minor injuries.
The investigation found that the inherent difficulty in visually detecting the wire, combined with the operating ground speed required for chemical application meant that the pilot did not have sufficient time to avoid the wire strike.
ATSB Conclusions:
1. The pilot conducted an impromptu spray run that resulted in the helicopter’s flight path crossing the wire.
2. The pilot's preoccupation with the property owner's request to modify the planned spray sequence reduced his attention on the spraying task, including the presence of the wire.
3. The pilot forgot about the wire that crossed the intended flight path.
4. The wire was inherently difficult to see.
5. The operating groundspeed for chemical application meant that the pilot could not see the wire in sufficient time to avoid the wire strike.
6. The helicopter contacted the wire outside the strike angle and cable span design parameters of its wire-strike protection system.
7. The protection afforded by the pilot’s helmet and the secure restraint of the four-point harness probably prevented serious, if not fatal injury.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
1. http://web.archive.org/web/20090628163156/http://www.atsb.gov.au:80/publications/investigation_reports/2009/AAIR/aair200903640.aspx
2. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/06/24/2607119.htm?site=news
3. http://www.bordermail.com.au/story/45137/pilot-in-good-spirits/
4. http://www.atsb.gov.au/media/1572022/ao2009030.pdf
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-Jun-2009 09:21 | harro | Added |
| 01-Jul-2009 11:50 | VHKDK | Updated |
| 14-Apr-2014 16:35 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 14-Apr-2014 16:37 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Location, Narrative] |
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