ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 89835
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| Date: | Friday 4 February 2011 |
| Time: | 11:41 |
| Type: |  Robinson R44 |
| Owner/operator: | Aero Logistics Pty |
| Registration: | VH-HFH |
| MSN: | 0505 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1998 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Near Cessnock Airport, Hunter Valley, NSW -
 Australia
|
| Phase: | Take off |
| Nature: | Training |
| Departure airport: | Cessnock, NSW (CES/YCNK) |
| Cessnock, NSW (CES/YCNK) | |
| Investigating agency: | ATSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
A pilot has survived but two passengers died when a helicopter spiralled in the air before hitting the ground and busting into flames. The crash at the Cessnock Aerodrome in the NSW Hunter Valley on Friday was so fiery there was nothing rescuers to do, witnesses said.
Flames engulfed the four-seater Robinson R44 helicopter after it hit the ground at the southern end of the airfield about 11.45am (AEDT) while making a landing approach. The instructor and passenger died but the male pilot undergoing a flight review, aged in his 40s, freed himself from the wreckage before it exploded, the Ambulance Service of NSW said.
Post accident investigations revealed a simulated hydraulic failure had become the real thing and aircraft controllability was lost due to a detached hydraulic-boost servo.
Later press reports named the two persons on board that were killed as Ivor Durham (pilot) and his 21-year-old passenger Sam Bateman.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
1. http://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/2011/aair/ao-2011-016.aspx
2. https://www.ntsb.gov/aviationquery/brief2.aspx?ev_id=20110208X34642&ntsbno=WPR11WA127&akey=1
3. http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/helicopter-crashes-injuries-unknown/story-e6frf7jx-1226000131012
4. http://www.atsb.gov.au/media/3899970/ao-2011-016_final.pdf
5. http://bigpondnews.com/articles/TopStories/2011/02/04/Two_dead_in_crash_that_destroys_chopper_573181.html
6. http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/two-dead-in-nsw-helicopter-crash/story-e6frfku0-1226000146444#ixzz1Cx5DImJk
7. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/three-die-in-twin-tragedies-in-the-hunter-valley/story-e6frg6nf-1226000464089
8. https://flickr.com/photos/bpg58/7426650444/ [photo]
9. http://kathrynaviationnews.com/?p=53701
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 04-Feb-2011 03:01 | Petro | Added |
| 04-Feb-2011 03:33 | gerard57 | Updated [Aircraft type, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Nature, Source, Narrative] |
| 07-Feb-2011 14:26 | harro | Updated [Time, Registration, Cn, Operator, Other fatalities, Source, Narrative] |
| 05-Feb-2012 16:59 | Geno | Updated [Operator, Location, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 04-May-2014 02:46 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
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