NZ pilot killed
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NZ pilot killed
Southland Times report
A Waimumu man was killed today (Friday) when his helicopter crashed into scrub on a farm near Wyndham.
Anthony John Bell, a pilot for Inglewood-based company Helicopter Services Ltd, was the sole occupant of the Bell-204 UH1B Iroquois.
The Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) said initial reports indicated the helicopter suffered an in-flight break-up.
Police said they received a call at 9am from a person who said a helicopter had "fallen out of the sky".
The crash happened 12km southeast of Wyndham. The helicopter came to rest on a scrub covered bank about 300m from the Wyndham-Mokoreta Road.
Mr Bell was returning home from Waikawa after completing work under contract for Mainland Minerals.
Debris from the helicopter was scattered over about a kilometre.
A rotor blade came to rest on paddocks above the bank while what was believed to be the gear box was found embedded near a roadside fence.
Police said the accident was witnessed by four people.
Brian McLennan, of Gore, who was competing at dog trials nearby, was one of the first on the scene.
When he got to the crash site he heard voices in the scrub and initially thought the pilot was alive, he said. However, it was two other witnesses.
Mr McLennan said he pulled Mr Bell's body from the wreckage, concerned the helicopter might catch fire.
There appeared nothing out of the ordinary with the sound of the helicopter as it flew overhead. However, shortly afterwards Mr McLennan realised it was in trouble when it started spiralling to the ground.
"There was metal flying everywhere before it went down."
The helicopter appeared to have hit the bank and rolled, Mr McLennan said.
Mr Bell's wife, Jan, said the family was shocked by the accident. Her husband had been flying for 12 years and loved it, she said.
Helicopter Services owner Brett Emeny, of Inglewood, said Mr Bell had been with the company "a long time".
"He was a very experienced, high quality pilot," he said.
"I couldn't speak highly enough of him."
Mr Emeny, who arrived in Gore yesterday, said he was not prepared to comment on the crash until he had more information following an official investigation.
Mainland Minerals Otago-Southland manager Gavin Keith said news of the accident was a huge shock.
He had known Mr Bell for a long time and described him as a really good pilot.
The TAIC investigation will be headed by Christchurch-based investigator John Goddard.
Police said three members of the RNZAF, who have specialist knowledge of the Bell Iroquois heavy-lift helicopter, would also be involved in the investigation.
Very sad. Our sympathy to his family and friends.
Man dies in helicopter crash
A Waimumu man was killed today (Friday) when his helicopter crashed into scrub on a farm near Wyndham.
Anthony John Bell, a pilot for Inglewood-based company Helicopter Services Ltd, was the sole occupant of the Bell-204 UH1B Iroquois.
The Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) said initial reports indicated the helicopter suffered an in-flight break-up.
Police said they received a call at 9am from a person who said a helicopter had "fallen out of the sky".
The crash happened 12km southeast of Wyndham. The helicopter came to rest on a scrub covered bank about 300m from the Wyndham-Mokoreta Road.
Mr Bell was returning home from Waikawa after completing work under contract for Mainland Minerals.
Debris from the helicopter was scattered over about a kilometre.
A rotor blade came to rest on paddocks above the bank while what was believed to be the gear box was found embedded near a roadside fence.
Police said the accident was witnessed by four people.
Brian McLennan, of Gore, who was competing at dog trials nearby, was one of the first on the scene.
When he got to the crash site he heard voices in the scrub and initially thought the pilot was alive, he said. However, it was two other witnesses.
Mr McLennan said he pulled Mr Bell's body from the wreckage, concerned the helicopter might catch fire.
There appeared nothing out of the ordinary with the sound of the helicopter as it flew overhead. However, shortly afterwards Mr McLennan realised it was in trouble when it started spiralling to the ground.
"There was metal flying everywhere before it went down."
The helicopter appeared to have hit the bank and rolled, Mr McLennan said.
Mr Bell's wife, Jan, said the family was shocked by the accident. Her husband had been flying for 12 years and loved it, she said.
Helicopter Services owner Brett Emeny, of Inglewood, said Mr Bell had been with the company "a long time".
"He was a very experienced, high quality pilot," he said.
"I couldn't speak highly enough of him."
Mr Emeny, who arrived in Gore yesterday, said he was not prepared to comment on the crash until he had more information following an official investigation.
Mainland Minerals Otago-Southland manager Gavin Keith said news of the accident was a huge shock.
He had known Mr Bell for a long time and described him as a really good pilot.
The TAIC investigation will be headed by Christchurch-based investigator John Goddard.
Police said three members of the RNZAF, who have specialist knowledge of the Bell Iroquois heavy-lift helicopter, would also be involved in the investigation.
What a sad thing to happen.
B models have a design flaw that allows something like this to happen. The tail rotor control cables run alongside the tail rotor drive shaft, in the upper tunnel of the boom. D and H models moved it into the lower tunnel.
In August 1981, a RAAF B model had one cable somehow come off its pulley and make contact with the drive shaft. It wrapped around it and was pulled to an extreme position. The tail rotor went to maximum pitch and flapped so much it hit the vertical fin. One blade separated, then the whole gearbox pulled out.
With the loss of the anti-torque and 90 lbs weight from 30 feet back, the cabin yawed and pitched nose down. The main rotor stayed where it was, so there was a mast bump, the blade separated, but before it did so, it came down through the cabin, and sliced off the left side and tail boom. The remains fluttered to the ground from 1500', with three fatalities.
No official reason was found for the cable's behaviour, and within a year, all B models were pensioned off.
B models have a design flaw that allows something like this to happen. The tail rotor control cables run alongside the tail rotor drive shaft, in the upper tunnel of the boom. D and H models moved it into the lower tunnel.
In August 1981, a RAAF B model had one cable somehow come off its pulley and make contact with the drive shaft. It wrapped around it and was pulled to an extreme position. The tail rotor went to maximum pitch and flapped so much it hit the vertical fin. One blade separated, then the whole gearbox pulled out.
With the loss of the anti-torque and 90 lbs weight from 30 feet back, the cabin yawed and pitched nose down. The main rotor stayed where it was, so there was a mast bump, the blade separated, but before it did so, it came down through the cabin, and sliced off the left side and tail boom. The remains fluttered to the ground from 1500', with three fatalities.
No official reason was found for the cable's behaviour, and within a year, all B models were pensioned off.
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Ascend Charlie - Those I have spoken to are coming to the same conclusion that the circumstances surrounding this accident are very very very similar to the one that killed a good friend of mine, Simon Green, in Wanganui Aero Works, UH1H not that long ago.
Have got some calls into those down in Southland and will see what comes back. As the paper reports NZ has had a lot of ex mil helos go down since 2001 and its scary.
Autorotate.
Have got some calls into those down in Southland and will see what comes back. As the paper reports NZ has had a lot of ex mil helos go down since 2001 and its scary.
Autorotate.
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NZ CAA pushing for helicopter law changes
24 APRIL 2004
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) was pushing for law changes to regulations covering some former military helicopters flying in New Zealand, such as the Iroquois which crashed near Wyndham yesterday, CAA spokesman Bill Sommer said.
Tony Bell, of Waimumu, died when the former US military Bell 204 UH1B Iroquois helicopter he was flying crashed about 9am, 12km from Wyndham.
Mr Sommer said yesterday's crash was the fourth fatal accident, and sixth death, involving the former military Iroquois helicopters in New Zealand.
All have occurred since 2001.
The Transport Accident Investigation Commission, which is investigating the crash, said initial reports indicated an in-flight break-up.
A helicopter industry source told The Southland Times the nature of the wreckage indicated the chopper's blade broke off in the air.
The blade landed on the ground about 600m from the rest of the wreckage.
Mr Bell would have died the instant the blade snapped off due to gyro rigidity, the source said.
"The force of the machine compensating for not having the blade on one side can snap you in half – it's the worst thing any of us (pilots) can think of.
"When a blade comes off like that, even if the chopper was sitting on the ground you can be killed."
The source was critical of the accident rate of former US military Iroquois helicopters.
"Most of them are old, cheap military helicopters from overseas that seem to be having too many catastrophic failures. With the mandatory maintenance we are required to do, a blade shouldn't just fall off a helicopter," the source said.
In October 2002 the CAA issued an emergency airworthiness directive, requiring tension straps on Iroquois to be replaced after 1200 hours or 24 months since their installation, whichever came first.
The directive was intended to prevent failure of the strap, loss of a main rotor blade, and subsequent loss of the helicopter.
Mr Sommer said the use of former military helicopters was restricted. They could not carry fare-paying passengers.
"These helicopters have been built, used, and maintained with the military in mind, which is not always suitable for civilian use.
Most were used in New Zealand for agricultural work.
The helicopters had been imported with United States Federal Aviation Authority clearance, and did not have to obtain New Zealand clearance unless they were modified, Mr Sommer said.
"For example, the one in this crash had some approvals granted to allow it to attach a sprayer."
CAA records show the helicopter involved in yesterday's crash was built in 1969 and imported to New Zealand in 1995.
Mr Sommer said the CAA had commissioned a review of the helicopters in 2001 and proposals were in place to improve their safety record.
Existing owners of the choppers were now required to submit them to a civilian maintenance regime which was much more suitable than a military one, Mr Sommer said.
The helicopter involved in yesterday's crash had its new regime approved last week.
Anyone wanting to import the helicopters in future could face tougher conditions if the proposed law changes went through, Mr Sommer said.
"People will still be able to buy them but if the rule changes go through, they will be further restricted to what they can use them for.
"They will also have to submit them to tougher maintenance regimes as well."
It was hoped this would improve their safety record, Mr Sommer said.
24 APRIL 2004
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) was pushing for law changes to regulations covering some former military helicopters flying in New Zealand, such as the Iroquois which crashed near Wyndham yesterday, CAA spokesman Bill Sommer said.
Tony Bell, of Waimumu, died when the former US military Bell 204 UH1B Iroquois helicopter he was flying crashed about 9am, 12km from Wyndham.
Mr Sommer said yesterday's crash was the fourth fatal accident, and sixth death, involving the former military Iroquois helicopters in New Zealand.
All have occurred since 2001.
The Transport Accident Investigation Commission, which is investigating the crash, said initial reports indicated an in-flight break-up.
A helicopter industry source told The Southland Times the nature of the wreckage indicated the chopper's blade broke off in the air.
The blade landed on the ground about 600m from the rest of the wreckage.
Mr Bell would have died the instant the blade snapped off due to gyro rigidity, the source said.
"The force of the machine compensating for not having the blade on one side can snap you in half – it's the worst thing any of us (pilots) can think of.
"When a blade comes off like that, even if the chopper was sitting on the ground you can be killed."
The source was critical of the accident rate of former US military Iroquois helicopters.
"Most of them are old, cheap military helicopters from overseas that seem to be having too many catastrophic failures. With the mandatory maintenance we are required to do, a blade shouldn't just fall off a helicopter," the source said.
In October 2002 the CAA issued an emergency airworthiness directive, requiring tension straps on Iroquois to be replaced after 1200 hours or 24 months since their installation, whichever came first.
The directive was intended to prevent failure of the strap, loss of a main rotor blade, and subsequent loss of the helicopter.
Mr Sommer said the use of former military helicopters was restricted. They could not carry fare-paying passengers.
"These helicopters have been built, used, and maintained with the military in mind, which is not always suitable for civilian use.
Most were used in New Zealand for agricultural work.
The helicopters had been imported with United States Federal Aviation Authority clearance, and did not have to obtain New Zealand clearance unless they were modified, Mr Sommer said.
"For example, the one in this crash had some approvals granted to allow it to attach a sprayer."
CAA records show the helicopter involved in yesterday's crash was built in 1969 and imported to New Zealand in 1995.
Mr Sommer said the CAA had commissioned a review of the helicopters in 2001 and proposals were in place to improve their safety record.
Existing owners of the choppers were now required to submit them to a civilian maintenance regime which was much more suitable than a military one, Mr Sommer said.
The helicopter involved in yesterday's crash had its new regime approved last week.
Anyone wanting to import the helicopters in future could face tougher conditions if the proposed law changes went through, Mr Sommer said.
"People will still be able to buy them but if the rule changes go through, they will be further restricted to what they can use them for.
"They will also have to submit them to tougher maintenance regimes as well."
It was hoped this would improve their safety record, Mr Sommer said.
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" NZCAA pushing for helicopter law changes"
Who would they have to push?? do they not make the regulations?
They are not allowed to carry fare paying passengers, but the risk is acceptable for crews, and any company staff, and clients giving briefings etc.
A review commissioned in 2001, nothing like being thorough but three years for a review?
Prospector
Who would they have to push?? do they not make the regulations?
They are not allowed to carry fare paying passengers, but the risk is acceptable for crews, and any company staff, and clients giving briefings etc.
A review commissioned in 2001, nothing like being thorough but three years for a review?
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Ascend Charlie,
Are you sure about about the control cable runs in D/H models?
In the early 80s, I had a near thing with the drive shaft segment in the fin of an "H" model being cut to half thickness by an errant piece of lockwire from the tensioning turnbuckle. The cable certainly ran next to the driveshaft!!!
Stay Alive,
B models have a design flaw that allows something like this to happen. The tail rotor control cables run alongside the tail rotor drive shaft, in the upper tunnel of the boom. D and H models moved it into the lower tunnel.
In the early 80s, I had a near thing with the drive shaft segment in the fin of an "H" model being cut to half thickness by an errant piece of lockwire from the tensioning turnbuckle. The cable certainly ran next to the driveshaft!!!
Stay Alive,
4Dogs:
We are both correct, just read the terminology:
The cables in the H model run along the boom from the bellcrank in the lower tunnel to a position near the 42 degree gearbox. Once they leave the boom and enter the fin, they run next to the driveshaft.
But it sounds like this incident was to do with grips or TT straps. Were they maintained to civvy standards, or military?
We are both correct, just read the terminology:
The cables in the H model run along the boom from the bellcrank in the lower tunnel to a position near the 42 degree gearbox. Once they leave the boom and enter the fin, they run next to the driveshaft.
But it sounds like this incident was to do with grips or TT straps. Were they maintained to civvy standards, or military?
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AC - Certainly wasnt maintained to mil standards. The operator was Brett Emeny in New Plymouth. His "maintenance program" for the Huey had just been "approved" by CAA in the last couple of weeks, whatever the hell that means.
Recently CAA was ordered to reopen the investigation of the Wanganui Aero Work UH1H crash that killed Simon Green and his crew. The investigators came to the conclusion that a bolt had not been fastened correctly in the tail rotor and that was the cause of the accident. HOWEVER new evidence came to light that showed they were in error and that the new investigation should focus on the TT straps. Simon's widow, Helene has been pushing for this for a long time and looks like she is being proven right.
Will post here what I find out when they start this new investigation. Getting back to the latest accident and it seems that they are looking at the same cause (speculation of course), as the aircraft came apart in flight and was in pieces before it even hit the ground.
Make sure you have a good close look at your Huey there RH before you go flying again.
Autorotate.
Recently CAA was ordered to reopen the investigation of the Wanganui Aero Work UH1H crash that killed Simon Green and his crew. The investigators came to the conclusion that a bolt had not been fastened correctly in the tail rotor and that was the cause of the accident. HOWEVER new evidence came to light that showed they were in error and that the new investigation should focus on the TT straps. Simon's widow, Helene has been pushing for this for a long time and looks like she is being proven right.
Will post here what I find out when they start this new investigation. Getting back to the latest accident and it seems that they are looking at the same cause (speculation of course), as the aircraft came apart in flight and was in pieces before it even hit the ground.
Make sure you have a good close look at your Huey there RH before you go flying again.
Autorotate.
Sad to see another Kiwi gone. My sincere condolences to the family and team at Heli. Services. I considered the engineers that I knew there to be exceptional at the time.
...I had a good look at that particular Huey back in '97.
It was my home for 6 months while working for Emeny. Got the nickname "opossum" from the other lads
FYI, a huey fits a double airbed, toaster and TV (13") comfortably.
....ahhh the good ol days.
...I had a good look at that particular Huey back in '97.
It was my home for 6 months while working for Emeny. Got the nickname "opossum" from the other lads
FYI, a huey fits a double airbed, toaster and TV (13") comfortably.
....ahhh the good ol days.
