Three possibilities (in order of probability), two of which not covered as yet:

1. CFIT
2. Pilot incapacitation
3. Fuel contamination/starvation
4. Mechanical failure

I don't think it would have burnt like that if he had no fuel.

Filming perspective on reported last moments.
 

My comments are from an aerial filming perspective as to what the crew may have been doing and is based on the eyewitness report, so should be read with skepticism..

ABC chopper had a mechanically stabilised camera rig installed in the right hand rear door. John sat beside the camera and its angle of view is obviously restricted to the right hand side.
So one should consider that often the aircraft needs to be flown in unusual configurations when filming from a side door (compared to using a stabilised nose mount). Gary probably had more experience of flying a camera in this manner (sideways) than anyone else in Australia.

But no indication as yet if they were filming when they took off. Eyewitnesses should have been able to see if the door was open so I hope this question can be answered promptly.
Direction of the orbit is a clue, if they flew an anti clockwise obit around the camp they weren't shooting the camp as the camera would be facing the outside of the orbit.

I could imagine that a wide shot of the camp, no doubt illuminated by campfire or battery lanterns would be a good shot and at least worth a look on the way out, which may explain the orbit.
I'm not sure if their SOP was to take off and land with the door closed and then open it in flight.

This could be explained if they were shooting a departure shot of the camp and so had to crab tail to the left which can look weird to a casual observer.

Flying low would give a good shot of the reflection of the camp lights in the water (assuming that there was water near the campsite)

If the dunes were fairly close to the camp (say under 1km) Gary could have been repositioning for a "reveal" shot of the camp by setting up the chopper behind the dunes, although the dunes would have been quite dark and a night time reveal does not generally fit into the conventional editing together of a daylight sequence.
Another possibility of the cause of them going low could have been a decision to land near the dunes so John could have setup an elevated, long lens tripod shot of the camp.

A bit early for such speculation, in any case the investigators could ask if a camera battery light was in use during ground filming after sunset. Tungsten bulb versions of these battery lights have in the past started a fire when accidently bumped/switched on whilst stowed in a camera bag.

I truly hope the case is a flukey mechanical failure. In any event with the loss of such an experienced low level filming pilot, who will be hard to replace, ABC should reconsider the merits of shooting from a side door.



Mickjoebill

Boys will be boys whatever their age and experience...especially out in the bush after a days work and heading off to finish the night with good friends, a meal and a bottle of wine only a short distance away.

We've all been there, done that, haven't we?

Have we?

Has anyone considered aliens? :ugh:

Come on you guys! Give it a rest.
Let's just wait for the official inquiry!

Capt Fathom,
you are pretty much right.


Mickjoebill.....make up your mind son.....your mother didn't give you that many names!!! :}
Further to Capt Fathom above, I enjoyed reading your post. It showed some elements of the sort of things a newsie pilot would be considering pre-flight that many of us would never even contemplate. It was certainly a good read. Thankyou for taking your time to post.

Jas

For the moment only one person has mentioned a possible bird-strike. I was camping over at Lake Eyre in June and I experienced two relevant incidents.

One was a bird-strike in a C208 while a pax on an afternoon scenic flight. I was in the front right seat... conditions were good, we were flying north west at about 2500 ft. when in a moment I noticed two birds in front of us and one second later there was a bang as one of them hit the leading edge of the wing. There was no obvious damage when we landed but it was amazing how quickly it happened.

The second incident might be more relevant though. We were camped near the punt on the Cooper Creek and one night I kayaked 10 kilometres from the road end of Lake Warrawarrinna back across to our camp. I left on sunset and had a full moon, perfect still conditions and a GPS to find the camp.

About 7.30 at night... in darkness except for the moonlight I encountered a large flock of pelicans and they took to the air. If a kayaker paddling in near silence is enough to get a couple of hundred pelicans into the air... what would they do with a helicopter coming towards them at 100 knots?

My condolences to the families and friends of three great men. In today's world it was just great to see three men, with the support of the ABC, committing to such a beautiful project.

Saw the re-run of ABC's 7:30 report tribute to these guys today. It's a shame more people on here couldn't extend some of the same empathy that these professionals were known for - irrespective of the causal factors of the crash.

Totally agree Capt.
Let's leave it to ATSB TO WORK OUT WHAT WENT WRONG.
RIP guy's.
It was a pleasure to work with you guy's.:sad:

Gary Ticehurst. A wonderful gentleman, a class act all round, and an extraordinary aviator. I didn't know the other two gentlemen, but my condolences to their families and friends. RIP Tice, say G'day to Lizard for me, and let the clowns pontificate.

Tribute
 

30 minute tribute programm airing NOW on news 24, watch online.

Lockyer described the helicopter as "the armchair of the nation"

Mickjoebill

Is there a rule that stipulates everyone in the forum must have a swig when anyone says:

"...let's wait for the results of the investigation."

If not, should be....

Photo from the ATSB prelim report.

http://atsb.gov.au/media/3457225/vh-...ent%20site.jpg

Not forgetting loss of control due to foreign objects fouling cyclic, pedals or collective, which (rarely) has been the cause of aerial filming accidents and even more rare when the cameraman is in the backseat.

Even in transit mode and at night, there are many reasons for laptops, PDAs and cameras to be operated and wielded around in this mobile office/TV studio.

Another (remote) possibility is compromising the pilot's night vision by the accidental activation of a TV light. Such lights are used in cockpit to illuminate the reporter and modern versions are dimmable and can be very bright to balance the shadowed interior to the high light intensity of daylight.

I'm hoping it is a bird strike.

Mickjoebill

Memorial Service - Gary
 

Lest you missed this in other media;

RIP

F#3

Wish I could be there. In all the years I worked with Gary, I don't think I ever took a single photo of him. The last time I saw him was when they were filming parts of the movie Stealth in the YLEC area. The image of Gary dropping his daks & changing his clothes in front of me on the apron is forever etched in my memory! :D

DF.

ABC24 there is a tribute to John Bean on now

Just finished watching the tribute to Gary on ABC24. :{

DF.

On ROTORHEADS under the thread called -

Three killed in South Australia Helicopter crash

there's a link to a doco coverage of the memorial
service held for Gary Ticehurst. It reveals in spades
what a wonderful person he was. Viewing highly recommended.

Preliminary report
 

ABC reporting that preliminary investigation has not reached any conclusions.
http://www.atsb.gov.au/media/3466996...102_prelim.pdf

It has however ruled out a pre impact fire saying the reports of a glow by eyewitness are not supported by study of the wreckage.

I wonder if they have also ruled out the accidental activation of an in cockpit camera light which would have created a glow if seen from the ground.

The bureau says an examination of the artificial horizon instrument has confirmed its internal gyro was working at the time. It hit the ground at 90 degrees on right hand side.

Mickjoebill