Heliflight fatal report released
Pilot may have reacted too slowly to rotor problem: CAA
06.02.2004
2.15pm A pilot who died when the helicopter he was flying crashed near Masterton may have reacted too slowly, or inappropriately, to a rotor problem, a Civil Aviation Authority report says.
Pilot Roy Cameron Kritos, 36, who was living at the Hood Aerodrome near Masterton, died at the scene of the crash about 4.45pm on January 17 last year.
Today's CAA report recounted how three witnesses had pulled Mr Kritos from the burning wreckage of the helicopter.
On the day of the day of the crash Mr Kritos had finished a flight with his instructor before being authorised to continue solo.
The helicopter had taken off about 4.20pm and been seen carrying out apparently normal circuits around the aerodrome, taking off and landing parallel to a runway. About 25 minutes into the flight, as the helicopter was climbing straight ahead after take-off and had reached about 120m, witnesses on the airfield heard a loud noise and saw pieces flying off it.
After one or two rotations about the vertical axis, the helicopter had fallen straight to the ground, landing in a barley field.
"One nearby witness ran to the scene, and seeing a fire in the cabin area, attempted to pull the apparently unconscious pilot from the wreckage. The pilot was trapped by the distorted cabin structure, and this witness was unable to both lift the structure and pull the pilot clear," the report said.
"Two more people arrived and with their combined efforts, the pilot was lifted cle ar of the burning wreckage."
The CAA report said the accident sequence had been consistent with over pitching of the main rotor, resulting in loss of control and the striking of the airframe by one main rotor blade.
Engine failure was unlikely to be the initiating factor in the accident, it said.
"The pilot may have reacted too slowly, or inappropriately, to a low rotor rpm situation," the report said.
Mr Kritos' logbook recorded 157.4 hours on helicopters and his instructor had confirmed Mr Kritos was of good ability and in good spi rits on the day of the crash.
The helicopter had been maintained adequately, and appeared to be in good pre-accident condition.
The weather had not been a factor, with conditions fine and clear.
- NZPA