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Ag helicopter crashes in Tasmania

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Old 27th Dec 2006, 12:32
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MPT
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Ag helicopter crashes in Tasmania

G'day All,

Ag never appealed to me, probably because I've seen too many articles like this one.

Man survives fiery helicopter crash
A CROPDUSTER pilot survived a fiery helicopter crash in northeast Tasmania tonight.
The Bell helicopter plunged to the ground and burst into flames after clipping powerlines at Trenah, southwest of Ringarooma, about 7.30pm (AEDT).
The 45-year-old local pilot freed himself from the burning wreckage, despite serious burns to his upper body.
Sergeant Tony Grincais said witnesses saw the helicopter hit powerlines off Maurice Road before it crashed into a potato paddock.
The aircraft was destroyed.
“The pilot managed to get himself out of the aircraft, he suffered burns to the arms, hands, face and neck, he was taken to the Scottsdale Hospital and is now en route to Launceston General,” Sgt Grincais said.
“He's in a serious but stable condition, his injuries aren't life threatening.”
Sgt Grincais said the pilot was in shock and had yet to be questioned by police.
He said the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) had been notified but a non-fatal crash of this kind was unlikely to be further investigated.
“At this stage, it's not going to be investigated any further by the bureau of air safety,” Sgt Grincais said.
“Their words are that cropdusters hitting power lines are a dime a dozen, they happen all the time.
“There's no safety issues arising from that that would affect the general travelling public.”
Sgt Grincais said the low altitude manoeuvres of cropdusters made them vulnerable to crashes.
“They fly very low so that the chemicals that they're spraying are dispersed evenly over the crop and aren't blown away by the wind.
“How they don't do it (crash) more (often) is probably the applicable question.”
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sto...005961,00.html

Love that last statement....

MPT
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Old 27th Dec 2006, 19:01
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Who was the driver. Know a couple of guys working in Tassie
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Old 27th Dec 2006, 22:53
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i have heard it was ds in a bell 47 tomcat.

hard to believe the comments attributed to the atsb, but then again they are pretty hopeless.

they did not investigate lester chambers accident, (hit by main rotor blade) because the engine was not running. now that is hard to believe.

a tomcat at caloundra

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Old 27th Dec 2006, 23:58
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I know it's a bit off topic, but in reply to imabell's statement.

ATSB not investigating Lester's tragic death because the engine wasn't operating at the time of the incident.

I have heard the same scandalous news.

Does that mean after my engine failure,(hope not) and subsequent auto, crash and injury, ATSB wont bother to investigate because the engine wasn't running at the time!

For heaven's sake, someone was killed.

Rant over, apologies offered

Safe New year to you all
13
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Old 28th Dec 2006, 10:55
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Maybe i'm losing my 20/20 vision...but is the pilot in the tomcat doing a "hey mum, look no hands". . .
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