PPRuNe Forums - Cattle mustering helos crash, both pilots dead. Western Australia.

PPRuNe Forums (https://www.pprune.org/)

- Rotorheads (https://www.pprune.org/rotorheads-23/)

- - Cattle mustering helos crash, both pilots dead. Western Australia. (https://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/372765-cattle-mustering-helos-crash-both-pilots-dead-western-australia.html)

Cattle mustering helos crash, both pilots dead. Western Australia.

Deadly chopper collision kills both pilots - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Quote:

The men were mustering cattle on Springvale station north of Halls Creek when their helicopters collided this morning.

Both men - aged 37 and 39 - died in the crash.

Police say the alarm was raised about 8:30am when the two helicopters failed to return for refuelling.

A third helicopter found the wreckage about 16 kilometres south-east of the homestead.

Inspector Jim Cave from WA Police says Worksafe and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau are also investigating.

"We're working very closely with them and Worksafe and we'll be assisting them with the investigation and of course we as the police agency will be conducting a coronial investigation for the coroner here in Broome," he said.

Inspector Cave says it is not known what caused the accident.

"I know that there appears to have been a collision between the two aircraft, they are about 30 metres apart from each other and a fire has gone through the scene," he added.

r22's collide over the kimberlies

two mustering helicopters have collided over a cattle station in the kimberly region of north western australia.

both pilots, the only occupants were both killed. it is not known the time of day or any circumstance that may have contributed to the mid air collision.

one pilot, a 37 year old australian, male has left a wife and two young children.

the second pilot was a 39 year old new zealander.

both pilots had quite a few years of mustering behind them and many hours of experience.

The pilots have been named as Troy Wareham 37 and Matt Funnell 39.

Tragic accident.

Quote:

one pilot, a 37 year old australian, male has left a wife and two young children.

the second pilot was a 39 year old new zealander.

In fact each pilot had three children, all six of which are under the age of four. pug's kids are carbon copy red haired terrors.

The NZ' man's wife is or was Australian, strongly connected in the NT.

Yup, aviation can be a proper bastard at times, a most regrettable accident.

i sincerely hope that one or both GPS's may have survived for some clues.

The ABC has it that ATSB are sending about five investigators. (on site today I believe) Work Health WA the police and of course the Broome Coroner are also mentioned, several times.

No clues on whose AOC they were operating? We hear that 0ne of the owners of the machines also owned the station where they were working.

Heresay has it that there is another person (of PNG experience and an engineer) who may be also a co-owner of the machines?????

Matt will be missed

very sad to hear about Matt Funnell, an awesome guy who will be greatly missed by all his friends and family. my sympathies go out to Ali and the boys who no doubt are still in a state of shock. Matt had managed to overcome some serious setbacks in his life and was someone whom I admired for overcoming these. R.I.P Matt, Im sure you wont be forgotten.