View Full Version : Incidents & fatal accident on NSW Fires, Dec 2009
FarmerPete
8th Dec 2009, 10:26
NSWRFS Media Release
Latest News
Aircraft incidents
Posted: 08/12/2009
Two helicopters working on a fire in Vittoria west of Bathurst were involved
in a mid air incident while undertaking water bombing operations.
The incident occurred at about 7pm today when two helicopters were operating
in heavy smoke.
Both aircraft landed safely however, upon inspection damage to one aircraft
was reported.
A second aircraft incident occurred earlier today in Tamworth.
A helicopter working on a fire 40 kilometres south east of Tamworth
experienced an engine malfunction resulting in a heavy landing at about
4.30pm today.
The pilot suffered minor facial injuries. The co-pilot was not injured. The
aircraft has been extensively damaged.
Both incidents will be investigated.
catseye
8th Dec 2009, 21:55
There has been two incidents associated with aircraft today. The first, a Bell 204 operating near Tamworth had an engine flame out resulting in a heavy landing. The aircraft has been significantly damaged, the pilot suffered minor facial injuries and the co-pilot was OK. The second, involved a near miss incident between a BK117 and a Squirrel operating on the fire west of Bathurst. Both these aircraft landed safely, no injuries but minor damage has been identified on one aircraft. Both these aircraft incidents will be the subject of investigation
Ag-Rotor
8th Dec 2009, 22:49
Word is that the BK117 pilot dragged a water bucket on a long line into the tail section of the unsuspecting Squirrel. Very lucky not to be a catastrophy.
Heliringer
9th Dec 2009, 01:25
ONE person is dead and another is in critical condition with chest injuries after a helicopter fighting bushfires crashed on the NSW mid-north coast.
The two were on board the helicopter when it crashed near Dorrigo.
The Rural Fire Service said the helicopter crashed about 11.30am while it was helping the battle a bushfire in the area.
Paramedics are at the scene.
From the News dot com dot au site
Diatryma
9th Dec 2009, 02:15
The Dorrigo one is a Bell 206 Long Ranger VH-MJO.
(hope this isn't another OCC failure......:uhoh:)
Di
Squeaks
9th Dec 2009, 04:07
Firefighter dies in helicopter crash
* Jodie Minus
* From: The Australian
* December 09, 2009 1:51PM
ONE person is dead and another is critically injured after a helicopter hired to help fight fires crashed at Dorrigo on the north coast of NSW.
The helicopter, contracted to the NSW Rural Fire Service, was fighting a fire on a private property at Dome Rd about 11.40am when it crashed.
Emergency services responded and located one person dead and another suffering critical chest injuries .
The injured person will be taken by ambulance to Dorrigo Hospital for emergency treatment before being airlifted to a larger hospital later today.
Police from the Coffs Harbour local area command are on the scene and investigating.
It is the third aircraft incident with the NSW Rural Fire Service in the past 24 hours. Two helicopters working in heavy smoke on a fire in Vittoria, west of Bathurst, yesterday were involved in a mid air incident.
Both aircraft landed safely but one aircraft was damaged during the incident.
Earlier, in Tamworth, a helicopter working on a fire 40km south-east of the city experienced an engine malfunction, which resulted in a heavy landing about 4.30pm.
The pilot suffered minor facial injuries and the aircraft was extensively damaged.
The Australian (http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/firefighter-dies-in-helicopter-crash/story-e6frg6nf-1225808656642)
:sad:
FarmerPete
9th Dec 2009, 04:18
I have no information other than that which is in the news.
Domes Rd, Dorrigo, is adjacent to the NPWS HQ and helipad, which sits at the top of a timbered escarpment approx 3km SSE of Dorrigo township..
A great pity. I did a little work (same job) with a couple of the Parks people up there some time ago, and they were very pleasant.
A helicopter has crashed during a firefighting operation on the New South Wales mid-north coast, killing one person on board.
A second person, who police say is the pilot, is being treated for head, chest and back injuries and is in a critical condition.
The accident happened in dense rainforest near the Dorrigo National Park, west of Coffs Harbour just before midday. Rescue crews are at a private property on Dome Road at Dorrigo.
The helicopter was contracted by the National Parks and Wildlife Service and Rural Fire Service (RFS) out of Glenn Innes to map a number of bushfires sparked by lightning strikes overnight.
It was using the helibase at the National Park when it crashed in thick fog at about 11.40am AEDT.
It is understood the passenger of the helicopter was with the National Parks Service.
One dead in bushfire chopper crash - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) (http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/12/09/2766223.htm)
Ned-Air2Air
9th Dec 2009, 06:46
According to interweb, MJO is operated by Commercial Helicopters. :sad:
fadecdegraded
9th Dec 2009, 06:52
And theres one more a 204 down apparently, a yellow and blue one, reports are that no one is injured, engine failure, not a good day
Heliringer
9th Dec 2009, 08:12
I have just seen footage of the crash scene on Sky news and by Jesus was it foggy. The vis looks to be around 300m when this footage was taken.
reallyoldfart
9th Dec 2009, 09:20
Guys, I think we had better slow down on the opinionating and innuendo here - the news footage was shot hours after the accident, so I think it is wrong to infer that weather was a factor at this early stage. eg on tonight's Sky news the police interview stated that the fog at the time of the accident was nowhere near like it was at the time of the news article being shot.
Just my two bob's worth
From one helitack pilot here in the north....You guys be safe down there.
RIP my friend...Shots facing west tonight. http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j35/helokat/5shots.gif
Ned-Air2Air
9th Dec 2009, 16:42
Thoughts are with Mark Rogers at Commercial and the friends and family of the deceased. :(:(
One thing I do not understand though is why ALL other aircraft operated by any operator who has an accident are stood down, especially in the case of McDermotts machines.
Johnny Mac's 204 had the engine flameout, and yet RFS or whoever says that ALL his aircraft must be taken off contract immediately and I understand that it included a 214B, 214ST, twin Squirrel etc. Now I for one dont see the logic behind that, fine do an investigation into the engine failure but why release all those other machines. Same with Commercial Helicopters machines. Between them I guess they had a total of about 7 or so machines on the fire, thats a pretty good chunk of resources to take off a fire in the middle of it, and all the guys are experienced at what they do.
Thoughts anyone.
Ned
Ned,
Simple. NSWRFS. Read that forward or backwards as required.
catseye
9th Dec 2009, 21:39
Ned,
there is still a heap of helicopters and fixed wing available both in NSW and other states.
The question is who will do the investigation. Will ATSB look at the Dorrigo fatal. Not much expertise in Accident Investigation in RFS as fortunately they don't have to do it very often.
Oggsplash where art thou????
Ned-Air2Air
9th Dec 2009, 22:31
Catseye - Oggy is somewhere near Bathurst :E