The Pacific: General Aviation & Questions The place for students, instructors and charter guys in Oz, NZ and the rest of Oceania.

Heavylift crash

Old 20th Sep 2014, 02:59
  #1 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Not really sure
Posts: 95
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Unhappy Heavylift crash

Have heard from aviation friends in Moresby that a Hevilift Twotter headed to Kokoda with 8 pob crashed 30 nm off Moresby - 4 dead including the two pilots, 3 injured and 1 still missing.

Very sad news indeed
Amelia_Flashtart is offline  
Old 20th Sep 2014, 05:49
  #2 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Aug 1998
Location: ...second left, past the lights.
Posts: 1,100
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Sad News - Heavylift crash

A Hevilift Twin Otter is down sadly.

Last edited by Chocks Away; 20th Sep 2014 at 06:18.
Chocks Away is offline  
Old 20th Sep 2014, 06:06
  #3 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: shivering in the cold dark shadow of my own magnificence.
Posts: 522
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
HEVILIFT. (Previously Regional Air)

Very sad. Good company with good aircraft and good training. It'll be interesting to find out what happened.
psycho joe is offline  
Old 20th Sep 2014, 10:01
  #4 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Gt Hockham
Posts: 99
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Heavylift Crash?

Is Hevilift a follow-on company from HeavyLift CA, please?
Hockham Admiral is offline  
Old 20th Sep 2014, 10:06
  #5 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: 2000
Posts: 194
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Is Hevilift a follow-on company from HeavyLift CA, please?
No it's not.
Killer Loop is offline  
Old 20th Sep 2014, 14:37
  #6 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: shivering in the cold dark shadow of my own magnificence.
Posts: 522
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
The old Hevilift doesn't exist. Hevilift was taken over in 2004 by Regional Air. I can say Without reservation that when I was with Regional/Hevilift, the company had a better attitude toward maintenance, training and general operational safety than the major Australian airlines that I've worked for since, including a jet operator. I trusted these guys with my life. There was no better operator in PNG.

I've also worked with Bill Seneka from the Accident Investigation Commission, who has been quoted as saying that weather was a contributing factor.

Last edited by psycho joe; 20th Sep 2014 at 14:58.
psycho joe is offline  
Old 20th Sep 2014, 20:53
  #7 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Somewhere
Posts: 1,455
Received 49 Likes on 33 Posts
Good to see the mods removed all the posts about who the crew was and the (possible?) negativity about the company. I also flew for the company in a previous life and have a vested interest in this accident. Couldn't agree more with psycho joe's comments.

Exactly where did the aircraft crash, Mt Lawes or up in the Owen Stanley's?
Duck Pilot is online now  
Old 20th Sep 2014, 21:44
  #8 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Further away
Posts: 943
Received 10 Likes on 8 Posts
Another sad event
Was this a IFR or VFR flight
megle2 is offline  
Old 20th Sep 2014, 22:58
  #9 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Aer
Posts: 431
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
This follows 2 fatal helicopter accidents since 2011. Lost some former colleagues and friends in those accidents.

Last edited by terminus mos; 21st Sep 2014 at 00:59. Reason: We have all lost friends, not just you Killer and Joseph
terminus mos is offline  
Old 20th Sep 2014, 23:47
  #10 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: In the air.
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Captain was a good man. Will miss him. If anyone has details of funeral proceedings please PM.

R.I.P old buddy.
DrinkSleepFly&Repeat is offline  
Old 22nd Sep 2014, 10:49
  #11 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 283
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Well done to the New Zealand & PNG Soldiers

RIP
R W

NZ soldiers help plane crash survivors | Stuff.co.nz

New Zealand soldiers on a secret jungle training mission in Papua New Guinea have played a key role in rescuing survivors from a fatal plane crash on Saturday.
A Papua New Guinean pilot, her Australian co-pilot and two other PNG nationals died when a Twin Otter owned by third-level airline HeviLift crashed into the mountainside on Mount Lawes at Laloki as it was flying toward the capital, Port Moresby.
Five PNG nationals survived.
The PNG Post-Courier reported today that the critically injured were helped by New Zealand soldiers.
They had been conducting a joint training exercise with the PNG Defence Forces at Goldie River Army Training Barracks, just below the mountain.
"Because of the secret nature of the joint PNG-New Zealand defence forces training exercise on Saturday, the media was told not to get photographs of the soldiers bringing out the injured from the wreckage," the Post-Courier reported.
A soldier said they were conducting their training in bush under the mountain when they heard a loud bang at around 9.30am.
"The top of the mountain was covered in mist and we could not see anything, so we called Jackson Airport and they told us that there was a (plane) crash," a soldier said.
"We rushed to the site with our medics, both from PNG and New Zealand Army, and we were able to rescue the six passengers.
"One died soon after.The newspaper said the soldiers would only talk so long as they were not named.
"Our hierarchy confirmed that there was a crash and we were directed to provide assistance and rescue those on board the ill-fated plane," one soldier said.
Because of the thick fog, vegetation and the rugged terrain on the mountain top the helicopter could not land near the crash site so they had to use their four-wheel drive vehicles and then make it on foot to the crash site, which is about a three-hour walk for an ordinary person.
For the soldiers, it was less than an hour.The New Zealand Defence Force has made no comment on the incident.
New Zealand forces frequently exercise in PNG and their presence is usually widely publicised.

Last edited by Rotor Work; 22nd Sep 2014 at 10:51. Reason: Added PNG Soldiers
Rotor Work is offline  
Old 22nd Sep 2014, 20:38
  #12 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Europe
Posts: 136
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
It is so sad that crew should lose their lives on a non-threatning training mission,
daikilo is offline  
Old 22nd Sep 2014, 22:48
  #13 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Classified
Posts: 314
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Heavylift crash

..........

Last edited by Radix; 18th Mar 2016 at 01:13.
Radix is offline  
Old 22nd Sep 2014, 23:14
  #14 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 3,859
Received 167 Likes on 94 Posts
Radix, it appears daikilo has only read the first paragraph above
Squawk7700 is offline  
Old 23rd Sep 2014, 08:54
  #15 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Australia
Posts: 751
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Any news on who the captain was?
The Bullwinkle is offline  
Old 24th Sep 2014, 21:39
  #16 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Australia
Posts: 37
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I believe his initials are "L R".
A friendly sound professional when I knew him.
R.I.P. mate.

212bm
212bushman is offline  
Old 29th Sep 2014, 07:35
  #17 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: tasman
Posts: 126
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
L R

Unbelievable if it is the "LR" I know. Survived a Helio-Courier engine failure in the Tadji area early 70s, trained him in Air Niugini late 70s before he went to East/West late 70s. Been with Hevilift last 15yrs. I figured the accident aircraft for Yongai via the Gap. Somebody tell me otherwise??????
sundaun is offline  
Old 29th Sep 2014, 10:49
  #18 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Somewhere
Posts: 1,455
Received 49 Likes on 33 Posts
Unfortunately I think it's the same LR mate.

Last week a local newspaper reported that the aircraft had a CVR and forward looking camera fitted to it, hopefully these devices will provide some valuable information to the investigators to help understand what may have caused the accident.
Duck Pilot is online now  
Old 29th Sep 2014, 12:26
  #19 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: NSW
Posts: 4,268
Received 31 Likes on 23 Posts
From a long time PNG [still] pilot:

Not sure what happened to their twin otto, hit mt laws in bad wx on the VFR route into Pom....can guess though.
Also north coast aviation did a very short landing on a new strip, up to its main wheels in bog, off with the nose wheel, and finished off on the nose cowl....exit one PAC 750
TBM-Legend is offline  
Old 30th Sep 2014, 11:21
  #20 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Somewhere
Posts: 1,455
Received 49 Likes on 33 Posts
Thumbs down

Have a look at the PNG AIC's website, seems like they have been busy with very little government financial support again.......................

Especially considering that aviation accidents in PNG are a regular occurrence which generally result in fatalities.

Come on, this government organisation requires continuous ongoing funding together with CASA PNG to attract and retain suitable qualified personnel. Is PNG an ICAO compliant state??? If so about time ICAO had a closer look. Imagine an overflying 400 seat jet crashing in PNG in the wee hours of the morning in the Owen Stanley's or anywhere else, who's going to do the SAR let alone the rescue and subsequent investigation? It's a real possibility!

Last edited by Duck Pilot; 30th Sep 2014 at 20:57.
Duck Pilot is online now  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.