NT of OZ accident details wanted please

[Steve76]

Gidday guys,

Just found out that an acquaintance of mine died in a helicopter crash in June of 2002.

Apparently he was a passenger aboard a 5 seater machine that was involved in some pipeline work for the Timor Sea project.

Can anyone tell me what happened, who the company and pilot was and what type of machine. One of the 5 passengers survived.

Thanks in advance.

Steve :ouch:

[zalt]

Steve

My condolences:
http://www.atsb.gov.au/aviation/occurs/occurs_detail.cfm?ID=457

Bell 206 5/6/02 "engine failure required the pilot to enter an autorotation while manoeuvring at low level and over inhospitable terrain" - sadly only 1 survivor of 5 on board.

[overpitched]

Steve.

The full report is on the atsb's site. It is occurance No. 200202656. The machine was a 206. I remember reading about it in the local papers at the time. It was the survivors 3rd crash. I think he said he wasn't going to fly anymore.

The accident report is worth a read, engine failure low level over trees. They don't list names of pilot or company though.

http://www.atsb.gov.au/aviation/occurs/index.cfm

[Time Out]

CRASH SURVIVOR'S GREAT ESCAPE
Australian rescuers last night described how one man survived a helicopter crash that killed four men in the Outback Territory.
Anthropologist Richard Graham, 47, threw himself out of the crashed helicopter seconds before it burst into flames in remote East Arnhem Land. He spent the next 24 hours in a daze – wandering in the bush by day and nestling against the charred remains of the helicopter for warmth at night.
Senior Sergeant Steve Bradley said: "It's extraordinary that he's still alive."
Graham told Senior Sgt. Bradley the pilot was bringing down the helicopter in wooded but flat country when it suddenly plummeted to earth and turned over on to its side.
"He was in the back with two other passengers," the police officer said. "He managed to flip off his seatbelt and get out. As he rolled away, the wreckage burst into flames."
Graham suffered a broken ankle, chest injuries and burns to his legs. He told Senior Sgt. Bradley that he could remember little of the next 24 hours, but he did recall becoming cold at night and lying against the wreckage, which was still warm from the fire. He could hear planes overhead searching for him.
The Bell 206 Jet Ranger helicopter was surveying a proposed gas pipeline near the Mitchell Ranges, about 150 kilometers southwest of Nhulunbuy, when it crashed about 1 PM on Wednesday.
An extensive search was launched when the chopper failed to make a scheduled fuel stop at Dhoyndji outstation. Aircraft used infra-red equipment to search through the night. The wreckage was found a few kilometers from Dhoyndji yesterday afternoon.
The dead pilot was father-of-three Adrian Wagg, 51, who had lived in Nhulunbuy for 25 years. The dead passengers were Darwin-based Chris Uren, 36, who was coordinating the pipeline project for the Northern Land Council; traditional owner Roger Yilarama, 44, who was identifying sacred sites on the flight; and 47-year-old Perth-based land management expert John Girle.
The wreckage was spotted by another helicopter pilot who was one of Wagg's best friends. "That was traumatic for him," said Senior Sgt. Bradley. "He landed 50 meters away but couldn't bring himself to go near the wreckage and see the bodies."
Graham was flown to Dhoyndji after being treated by a Nabalco paramedic. A Nhulunbuy doctor, Paul Davis, used the tray of a ute as an operating table to stabilize the pressure in Graham's lungs before allowing him to be flown to Gove Hospital. "It's remarkable that he is the condition he is," the doctor said.
Graham lived in Darwin for many years before moving to Brisbane two years ago. His girlfriend flew to the Territory last night. Graham was expected to be flown to Royal Darwin Hospital late last night.source (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NewsoftheForce/message/887)

[Steve76]

Zalt and Overpitched,

Thankyou for your efforts. Greatly appreciated.

Thanks also Time out.