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From that world esteemed journal, The NT News, page 7, 24 May 2004, by Paul Jackson.
With a wrecked helicopter, I'd hate to see a non minor incident!
A pilot walked away from a helicopter crash with just a cut finger while mustering cattle south of Darwin.
The man, in his 20s, had been refuelling on Scott Creek station, 70km west of Katherine, when the accident happened.
A station worker, who witnessed the crash, said it appeared the refuelling line was left connected when the chopper took off.
He said the helicopter didn't get far off the ground before it crashed into a barbed wire fence metres away from the helipad about 12:30pm yesterday.
"I was working about 100m from the pad when I heard a big bang and saw a cloud of dust," the witness said.
"When the dust settled there was the helicopter by the fence and the pilot wandering around in a bit of a daze.
"I went over to see if he was alright and he said he only had received a cut on a finger from the wire.
"He was a bit shaken but he was okay.
"I've been working here for many years and this is the first time I can remember a helicopter accident.
"Luckily it was a minor one and no one got madly injured."
Katherine police were informed of the accident but did not attend because no one was injured.
The incident will be investigated by the Bureau of Air Safety.
An ambulance was put on standby to go to the site but was not needed.
The man, in his 20s, had been refuelling on Scott Creek station, 70km west of Katherine, when the accident happened.
A station worker, who witnessed the crash, said it appeared the refuelling line was left connected when the chopper took off.
He said the helicopter didn't get far off the ground before it crashed into a barbed wire fence metres away from the helipad about 12:30pm yesterday.
"I was working about 100m from the pad when I heard a big bang and saw a cloud of dust," the witness said.
"When the dust settled there was the helicopter by the fence and the pilot wandering around in a bit of a daze.
"I went over to see if he was alright and he said he only had received a cut on a finger from the wire.
"He was a bit shaken but he was okay.
"I've been working here for many years and this is the first time I can remember a helicopter accident.
"Luckily it was a minor one and no one got madly injured."
Katherine police were informed of the accident but did not attend because no one was injured.
The incident will be investigated by the Bureau of Air Safety.
An ambulance was put on standby to go to the site but was not needed.
Moderate, Modest & Mild.
The so called "pilot" was probably employed as a general roustabout with the flying "thrown in" as a generous concession by the employer.
The poor guy (pilot) probably had every intention of moving on, once he had accumulated enough experience to move up the ladder.
Obviously that door is now permanently closed, having had an accident.
With any luck, the chopper won't have been insured - or at the least, UNDER-insured!
The poor guy (pilot) probably had every intention of moving on, once he had accumulated enough experience to move up the ladder.
Obviously that door is now permanently closed, having had an accident.
With any luck, the chopper won't have been insured - or at the least, UNDER-insured!
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Kaptin,
"Obviously that door is now permanently closed, having had an accident."
Why does having an accident permanently close a door to future progression??? I do not know of anyone that has had a long term career stopped due to an accident.
"With any luck, the chopper won't have been insured - or at the least, UNDER-insured!"
Now why on earth would you want to see anyone loose money? BTW most of the time mustering choppers are not insured due to the extremely high premiums......
I think more to the point... Glad that the pilot was not injured!
"Obviously that door is now permanently closed, having had an accident."
Why does having an accident permanently close a door to future progression??? I do not know of anyone that has had a long term career stopped due to an accident.
"With any luck, the chopper won't have been insured - or at the least, UNDER-insured!"
Now why on earth would you want to see anyone loose money? BTW most of the time mustering choppers are not insured due to the extremely high premiums......
I think more to the point... Glad that the pilot was not injured!
It is usually cheaper not to insure mustering helicopters, so chances are is wasn't.
Leaving the fuel line in....hmmm, not as bad as the pilot SW of KTR a few years ago who landed to shut a gate and looked around to see his unoccupied r22 getting airborne....
Leaving the fuel line in....hmmm, not as bad as the pilot SW of KTR a few years ago who landed to shut a gate and looked around to see his unoccupied r22 getting airborne....
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"....who landed to shut a gate and looked around to see his unoccupied r22 getting airborne...."
.....accompanied by the sudden realisation that his remote control was out of batteries???
.....accompanied by the sudden realisation that his remote control was out of batteries???
For a split second he considered running to jump in to save it, but fortunately for him, common sense ruled and he had a good view of it destroying itself into the spinifex.
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guy down queenstown way was flying his companys brand new ec-120 he landed on a hillside to relieve himself and after doing so he turned around to see the said chopper sliding down the hill
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A few years back I saw a handling demo where the pilots opened anc closed gates, including handling the chain, with the skid of the helo from a height of 2-3 ft.
Pretty impressive, I thought. Lazy, but impressive...
I disagree, KM, prangs often only serve to hasten some peoples' rise up the greasy pole.
Pretty impressive, I thought. Lazy, but impressive...
I disagree, KM, prangs often only serve to hasten some peoples' rise up the greasy pole.
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.....or the pilot of the B206 with a camoflaged paint job (I think they called them "Kiowas") who landed somewhere in NT to have a cuppa. Seems his trusty hexi stove ignited the scrub, starting a fire which he couldn't put out that subsequently destroyed the aircraft!
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You have to feel sorry for the poor chap. Just another case of 
happening. Much like the fixedwing boys that forgot to put the wheels down. watched a guy try and taxi a turbo arrow of the pickets one day, but after 2-3 mins of giving it death trying to taxi off he noticed he had forgotten to undo the rear picket.
happening. Much like the fixedwing boys that forgot to put the wheels down. watched a guy try and taxi a turbo arrow of the pickets one day, but after 2-3 mins of giving it death trying to taxi off he noticed he had forgotten to undo the rear picket.
Man Bilong Balus long PNG
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High Altitude;
I do! Rest assured that it has and does happen!!
And in a helluva lot of cases it is;
"There but for the grace of God go you or I"
You only live twice. Once when
you're born. once when
you've looked death in the face.
I do not know of anyone that has a long term career stopped due to an accident
And in a helluva lot of cases it is;
"There but for the grace of God go you or I"
You only live twice. Once when
you're born. once when
you've looked death in the face.
Quite common practice especially for R-22 operators is to leave the engine running while a piece if bungy cord holds down the lift control at low throttle setting. I am not sure, however I would not be surprised to hear if this has led to a pressing need for number 2's on several occasions.
P.S. not trying to rubbish chopper pilots after all they get all the chicks, then maybe I am hust jealous.
P.S. not trying to rubbish chopper pilots after all they get all the chicks, then maybe I am hust jealous.
