ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 744
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| Date: | Monday 17 July 1995 |
| Time: | 19:50 |
| Type: |  Robinson R22 Beta |
| Owner/operator: | Cloncurry Mustering Company Pty. Ltd |
| Registration: | VH-BEI |
| MSN: | 2494 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1995 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Brighton Downs Station, QLD -
 Australia
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Agricultural |
| Departure airport: | Headlingley Station, Queensland |
| Pot Jostler, Queensland | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
On 17 July 1995, a crashed Robinson R22B helicopter was discovered by kangaroo shooters near Pot Jostler, an outstation of Brighton Downs Station, and reported to Boulia Police. The pilot was deceased.
During the day, the pilot flew on mustering tasks and an hour's ferry flight from Avon Downs to Headingley station. There he refuelled the helicopter with 50 litres of aviation gasoline. None of the Headingley station staff had the opportunity to speak with the pilot during his short stopover, but they saw the helicopter depart to the south-east at 1700 EST.
At 1950 EST, the manager of Brighton Downs station heard a message from the pilot on the station's citizen band radio. The pilot said that he was 4 NM from Pot Jostler outstation and that he could see the lights of the house. The manager replied that a kangaroo shooter and his family occupied the house and that he could get a meal from them.
The last radio message from the pilot wished the manager good night.
Initial investigation has found that the helicopter broke up in flight at a considerable height following fuselage strikes by the main rotor. Wreckage was spread over 1,000 metres.and the tailboom was found 300 meters from the cabin. The tail boom exhibited evidence that it had been struck by a main rotor blade. The cabin landed right side up and was compressed from impact forces to about a meter in height. The rotor system and main rotor blades separated from the transmission, and were found next to the cabin.
ATSB Conclusions:
1. The helicopter was certified for day, visual flight rules operations only.
2. The pilot continued the flight after dark when neither he nor the helicopter was equipped to do so
3. The pilot was not qualified for night flying.
4. The night was very dark without a visual horizon.
5. The pilot was probably 'fatigued', having flown excessive hours that day.
6. The engine probably stopped due to fuel exhaustion. The pilot probably lost control following fuel exhaustion
7. The pilot probably became disorientated and lost control of the helicopter.
8. The rotor RPM decayed significantly
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
1. http://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/1995/aair/aair199502225.aspx
2. http://www.griffin-helicopters.co.uk/accidentdetails.aspx?accidentkey=50757
3. http://web.archive.org/web/20130407091557/http://www.rotorspot.nl/vh.htm
4. http://www.aviationfanatic.com/ent_show.php?ent=5&AC_Regno=VH-BEI
5. http://www.atsb.gov.au/media/1343865/asor199502225.pdf
6. http://www.rotorshop.com/sir9603.pdf
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 21-Jan-2008 10:00 | ASN archive | Added |
| 10-Jan-2012 09:17 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Cn, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Damage, Narrative] |
| 30-Dec-2013 13:01 | gtf4j2m | Updated [Cn, Country, Narrative] |
| 30-Dec-2013 13:02 | harro | Updated [Country] |
| 11-Apr-2014 17:21 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Operator, Location, Source, Narrative] |
| 25-May-2016 22:11 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
| 25-May-2016 22:12 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
| 08-Jun-2022 08:41 | Ron Averes | Updated [Location] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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