Damaged rescue helicopter limps home
BY DAN PROUDMAN
27/12/2008 4:00:00 AM
THE damaged Hunter Westpac rescue helicopter limped back into its Broadmeadow base yesterday as the performance of its pilot and crew to avert disaster continued to emerge.
Pilot Kevin Ratcliffe has been praised for keeping the Bell 412 in the air after its rotor blades struck trees while nearing a rescue attempt of a plane crash survivor north-west of Merriwa on Christmas Day.
Some experts believe Mr Ratcliffe's impressive skills, along with that of his crew, were all that saved the lives of the five on board.
"The pilot and crew are trained to the highest possible standard and that has probably saved everyone on board," the service's crew chief, Graham Nickisson, said.
"It could have been catastrophic."
The incident occurred when the crew began a third attempt to rescue stricken crash survivor Scott Kennedy-Green from rugged terrain atop the Liverpool Ranges.
As Mr Ratcliffe flew towards the crash site, low-level cloud rolled in and the former military pilot decided to abort.
But as he ascended through the clouds, it became apparent that the machine was inside the forest canopy and its rotor blades struck trees.
The debris crashed on to the fuselage, smashing the windscreen and causing unknown damage to other parts of the machine.
However, Mr Ratcliffe was able to take the helicopter to a safe height and flew it to a paddock four kilometres away.
The pilot, air crewman Danny Morris, rescue crewman Michael Legge and two paramedics clambered out uninjured.
A rotor blade was later taken by road to the scene where engineers worked to replace it before the machine was flown back yesterday afternoon.
A full investigation is under way.
Mr Nickisson said there was no relation between Thursday's incident and one involving a Tamworth-based machine in February last year when four crew were lucky to survive an engine explosion more than two kilometres above the ground.
Mr Kennedy-Green's family has travelled to Sydney to be with him in hospital.
The successful Sydney-based real estate auctioneer has minor fractures, cuts and scratches and is in a stable condition, according to a hospital spokeswoman.
BACK SAFE: The Westpac rescue helicopter yesterday. - Picture by Peter Stoop