Technical aspects of crash probe begin
04 May 2006
By EMMA DAWE
The technical part of unravelling the cause of a fatal helicopter crash in March at Homestead Peak, near Wanaka, was only just beginning, Civil Aviation Authority chief investigator Tom McCready said.
He still did not know what caused the crash that killed Wanaka-based Canadian pilot Keith MacKenzie, 29, and his American passenger Jonathan Stein, 65, on March 5.
Mr McCready, who is from the North Island, said he initially expected to be in Wanaka investigating the crash for two or three days but had been travelling backwards and forwards to Wanaka for the past six weeks.
After the initial site investigation, it was apparent the wreckage trail was more widespread than first thought, he said.
"Unfortunately the extra area to be searched was across very steep and difficult terrain, which presented some logistical problems."
Mr McCready said he could not thank the Wanaka community enough for its help during the initial recovery and investigation.
Wanaka man Andy Clayton and some of his work colleagues were able to obtain infra-red tracking equipment from Dunedin to help with the investigation, Mr McCready said.
The equipment, which worked by detecting heat differences, was invaluable in finding parts of the helicopter the naked eye would not have been able to spot, he said.
Mr McCready believed the equipment had never been used before in New Zealand in an aircraft accident investigation, although it had been used in search and rescue operations, including the search for millionaire Michael Erceg, who died when his helicopter crashed near Raglan in November.
Mr McCready was involved in that investigation and said that was where he first learned about the infra-red technology.
It was entirely because of the Wanaka community that the equipment was able to be located and used, he said.
"I just told them what I was trying to achieve and this community of very competent locals sorted it all out for me.
"The Wanaka community are very fortunate to have such capable people doing this sort of work on a volunteer basis."
Mr McCready said he had been praised for his work by his bosses but believed the volunteers had made him look good.
Metallurgists in Wellington were still examining parts of the helicopter and the engine would also be taken apart, he said.