Two dead after helicopter crash, NSW S Highlands
 

From the ABC this morning:

"Two dead after helicopter crash

Two people have died after a helicopter crashed in the NSW Southern Highlands yesterday evening.

NSW Police said about 6:45pm on Wednesday, the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre received information about a missing aircraft last seen east of Marulan.

A rescue operation involving police, NSW Ambulance, Fire and Rescue NSW and the Rural Fire Service (RFS) was mounted in rugged bushland near Tallong.

The crash site was located just after midnight and two people, not yet formally identified, were located near the wreckage.

A coroner's report is being prepared."

A freind & I were on Mt Marulan yesterday. We heard a helicopeter very close to us and stopped to look up for it. It was clearly in cloud/mist. I recall thinking I hope he is not VFR. The sound stopped very quickly. This morning we see this sad news.

I have never understood the VMC into IMC helicopter accident.

nine news report
 

Where does it say it was VMC into IMC?

Well Lookleft didn't say it was VMC into IMC. They commented that they didn't understand that type of accident, after it was referenced in the original post.

Having said that, the OP said that a helicopter appeared to be in cloud/mist, and the areticle states:
, and in a referenced tweet:
So it does appear that the weather conditions will feature in the investigation.

As someone who operates out of GLB I can tell you Nico will be sorely missed he was a pretty good bloke....for a yarpie!

At about 1845L, without official tasking a local operator launched a light aircraft to go for a look, the weather at the time of the accident would have been rotary VMC yet it was deteriorating. The crew of the lightie poked around but saw nothing as both weather and daylight were diminishing and they returned to GLB.

RIP Mate.

Will you be making a statement to police to report that fact?

No, Contact has already been made with ATSB re my observations.

It's far easier to understand than a fixed wing event actually, helicopters have the advantage of slowing down and be on the tree tops creeping along at just a few knots. Don't ask how I know, a situation a lot, I repeat, a lot, of helo pilots have faced. Question, what minima additive you place on a NDB approach when your helo is slinging a load on a 200' long line having gone unwanted IMC in the mountains of New Guinea.

You missed the word "unwanted" ie inadvertent IMC encounter while sling loading a drill rig in the mountains, doing the NDB IMC approach some where on the coast was a get out of jail moment, story told by the pilot concerned.

Thats why I dont understand it as they can do a 180 on the spot and head back from where they came from.

If only they could - if it's possible to maintain good hover references and there's an escape route, maybe. Sometimes you might not have the power to come to an out of ground effect hover, but more telling is if horizon / hover references are lost, e.g. scud running / creeping and then into the gloop, most possible outcomes aren't good -
1. Lose control and mast bump or hit terrain (unstable machine, not usually fitted with an attitude indicator, pilots quite often with no instrument exposure)
2. Try to descend / turn out of the cloud and hit terrain
3. Even if proficient on instruments and aircraft fitted with them, have to establish a stable climb and avoid unseen obstacles (probably pushing through a valley or crossing a ridge when the inadvertent IMC happened).

Anyway, not saying any of that happened in this case - sad loss of fellow pilots, RIP.

The same thing will end both fix wing and rotary wing pilots, the moment when you go beyond your abilities the world closes in around you and luck determines the outcome. Set limits, don't go in without exits, don't commit without an exit plan. I have no idea what happened here, but some general advice. If it looks hairy, go home, try again tomorrow.

What's an NDB IMC approach?

It's desperation, that's what it is.

I know a few (myself included) who have made the mistake of thinking that just because you can see the ground, you think you’ll be ok. Especially in smoke. You start climbing up through it or descending, knowing full well that you can see the ground, however once the horizon and external queues are lost, that little patch of 100sqm of ground below is of little to no use to help keep you upright.

This might help explain it. If a glider can do it I suppose a helicopter can.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8djW...FcSS8M-n7GwW28

So most people here are decicided this accident has been a result of inadvertent flight into IMC?

Not decided. Informed speculation, until more details are forthcoming.

I flew with Nico a few times this year and was always impressed with his knowledge and professionalism. I am a fixed wing pilot and just converted to rotary, so have some experience and I would have considered him a safe pilot and was happy to get in a cockpit with him. We all know "that guy" that you would choose not to fly with, and Nico was not one of those.

In sickening coincidence I had texted Nico that very afternoon to see if he was available this weekend and got no response. I just thought he was busy and he'd get back to me like normal.

A young guy with his life and career in front of him - a sad loss all around, but there are things he taught me that I will take forward in my future flying and I'll remember him with thanks for making me a safer pilot.