Qld Australia Helicopter crash at Shoalwater Bay (Sept 2011)

[The Ozzie BOY]

ONE person is believed to have been killed in a helicopter crash at Shoalwater Bay.

It’s believed there are three people on board the helicopter with initial reports indicating there has been one fatality.

The Mackay-based RACQ CQ rescue helicopter has a medical team on board and will be in the vicinity just north of Shoalwater Bay by 2pm.



Read more: One dead in helicopter crash at Shoalwater Bay in Queensland | News.com.au (http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/one-dead-in-helicopter-crash-at-shoalwater-bay/story-e6frfku0-1226132199539#ixzz1XKOpnpRA)

[C206driver]

Chartered ex cairns apparently.
RIP those lost...:uhoh:

[Rotor Work]

Two dead in Qld chopper crash - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-09-08/queensland-chopper-crash/2876828)

ABC News update,
Two dead, one survivor

Two men have died in a helicopter crash in a remote area in central Queensland.

Three people were onboard the helicopter when it crashed in the Defence Force's Shoalwater Bay training area about 12.30pm (AEST).

Defence says the aircraft had been leased by a consultancy company and was being used for routine maintenance on radio towers.

Two rescue choppers were sent to the scene.

Capricorn Helicopter Rescue crewman Brad Nagy says the Squirrel AS 350 B helicopter crashed in dense bushland near Double Mountain.

"[It's] extremely heavily vegetated and wooded, and for the guys to get from the pinnacle where I dropped them off on the winch down to the crash site, which is only about 150 metres away, took them at least 15 to 20 minutes to get there... it's that heavily vegetated," he said.

Crews treated the sole survivor at the scene for a shoulder injury. He has been flown to Rockhampton Base Hospital.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau is investigating the cause of the accident.

Three investigators and two Defence experts are expected to arrive at the scene on Friday.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/image/2877280-3x2-940x627.jpg

RIP

[topendtorque]

Very sad to see this latest and all the others. It's getting to the stage that it's positvely dangerous to walk outside. Another in Ingham the other day which mrs tet saw on the "Australian" web page i think.

No one seriously hurt but a 61 yr old pilot walking around a wrecked machine in a daze. Machine reported as having nose dived into the ground.

The ATSB site with photographs of the Meekathara bingle don't make for good viewing, some one else can post it if they wish, I won't be.

Maybe CASA will have to do a clasic live ex knee jerk and ban or ground large sectors of the low level rotary community until some new, or even just the old check and training protocols are satisfied??

I am not suggesting a flying / mechanical fault or faults per se, but clearly something happened, who knows.

[lelebebbel]

OT

Another in Ingham the other day which mrs tet saw on the "Australian" web page i think.

That was a "Thruster" ultralight airplane, which had an engine failure after takeoff and did a hard landing in a paddock in Ingham. Pilot injured but not critical from what I heard.
It was initially falsely reported as a "helicopter" crash.

[Savoia]

THE final report into the cause of a fatal helicopter crash at Shoalwater Bay two years ago has been released by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau.

While the report found the pilot lost control of the helicopter while hovering or at low speed, the investigation did not determine the reason.

The bureau reported the crash was most likely as a result of environmental and operational factors.

It recommended pilots' skills in flying around pinnacle and confined areas be confirmed before the assignment of flights to similar locations.

It also highlighted the need for operators to be aware of potential safety risks, particularly for those whose competency was not established or checked.

Open finding on 2011 Shoalwater Bay chopper crash | Rockhampton Morning Bulletin (http://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/news/open-finding-on-2011-crash/2013030/)

[Heliringer]

Low time pilot with very little time on type.