Tourist dies in fall from helicopter
 

US tourist dies in fall from helicopter

22 May 2006 http://www.stuff.co.nz/inl/images/null.gif
An American tourist fell 300m to his death after stepping out of a helicopter and plummeting down a steep bluff this afternoon in the Southern Alps before the horrified gaze of his hunting companions.

Constable Phil Vink from the Wanaka police said the middle-aged man was one of three hunters in a helicopter, which landed about 3pm on a ridge at Albert Burn, about 7km south of the head of Lake Wanaka – not at Albert Town, as was earlier reported.

"I believe one person had already jumped out of the helicopter, when this gentleman stepped down and somehow slipped and fell over the bluff," he said.

The pilot immediately flew down to where the man had fallen but was unable to land.

However, Mr Vink said those on board could clearly see the man was dead.
An alpine rescue team, including one police officer, flew to the area this afternoon in an attempt to retrieve the body, but bad weather stopped them from landing.
They will return tomorrow.

that is not good to hear!!:{
The search has been held of because of fog!! thats about all the info at this stage!!

Fog hampers attempts to retrieve tourist's body
23 May 2006

Fog this morning delayed alpine rescue efforts to retrieve the body of an American tourist who fell 300m to his death after stepping out of a helicopter and plummeting down a steep bluff in the Southern Alps.


Wanaka Detective Derek Shaw an initial check by staff this morning decided it was too foggy to send out a rescue team.

Checks would continue to be made every half hour to evaluate whether it was safe to proceed,

The middle-aged man was one of three hunters in a helicopter, which landed about 3pm on a ridge at Albert Burn, about 7km south of the head of Lake Wanaka, yesterday afternoon.

One person had already jumped out of the helicopter, when the American stepped down and somehow slipped and fell over the bluff.

The pilot immediately flew down to where the man had fallen but was unable to land.

However, those on board could clearly see the man was dead.

An alpine rescue team, including one police officer, flew to the area yesterday in an attempt to retrieve the body, but bad weather stopped them from landing.

Mr Shaw said the dead man's family had wanted to contact their family in the United States about the death and had asked for no further assistance from the police.

New Zealand Herald report

Hunter slipped exiting helicopter

Wednesday May 24, 2006


The US tourist who plunged to his death after stepping out of a helicopter in the Southern Alps was the seventh foreigner to die this year while visiting national parks.

Police retrieved the body of Clifford Wayne Senter, 57, of New Hampshire, yesterday.

Mr Senter was killed when he tripped and fell down a steep bluff on Monday while chamois hunting near Lois Peak in the Mt Aspiring National Park.

Wanaka Search and Rescue coordinator, Sergeant Aaron Nicholson, said Mr Senter had been in New Zealand for the past week on a hunting holiday, with his wife and two friends.

They had intended to travel to Australia yesterday.

Mr Senter, his friend and a local hunting guide had left Wanaka by helicopter about 2.30pm on Monday.

They spotted chamois in the head of the valley, and the pilot landed on a small flat outcrop.

However, when Mr Senter stepped out of the machine, he slipped and slid down the slope with no chance of holding his fall.

Low cloud and fog prevented a search and rescue team from reaching him on Monday night. A recovery team was deployed first thing yesterday and located his body at the base of the bluff in the afternoon.

He had sustained very serious head and body injuries. A post mortem examination would be done today.

Meanwhile, the dead man's wife was still in Wanaka, and was expecting family from the United States to join her shortly.

The case had been handed over to the coroner and police had also advised the Civil Aviation Authority.

My Condolences
 

I have a number of thoughts about this. Without trying to 'out' myself, I was previously the Secretary of a State Deer Hunting Association and, of course, I'm a helicopter pilot. I have conducted heli-hunting trips.

How far do we take our briefings (without trying to blame the pilot)? How far do we brief a passenger before we land or after landing about a particular confined area or dangerous spot? How much do we test the dextrity of a passenger before we let them get themselves, gear and a rifle on and off a helicopter? Was age and experience a factor?

How much is plain bad luck when a bloke slips on a wet patch of ground? If there wasn't a helicopter involved, it would be easy to say it was just bad luck. But there is a helicopter involved. It could happen anywhere; heli-hunting, heli-skiing, heli-fishing...

Life is a risk. My condolences to the family, :( and the pilot.

cy heli,
you can do all the breifing and practice you want with hunting clients, but sometimes you just can't help things!! there are always varibles in this kind of work. Most of the clients don't get there gear out now, that is done by the guide, as they should be very familiar with how to do this safely, (one would hope)
You are right when you say, How much is plain bad luck when a bloke slips on a wet patch of ground? If there wasn't a helicopter involved, it would be easy to say it was just bad luck. But there is a helicopter involved.
In this instance it is just straight out bad luck!!! even with a helicopter involved.
My thoughts anyway!!
we can only hope that these things never happen to us and it must be b:mad: dy awful for all concerned and best of luck to them all!!!

chamois 1---- animal killer 0

"In nature there are neither rewards nor punishments - there are consequences."

Robert Ingersoll

.....
 

There was no way a United States tourist could have survived a 300m fall down a rocky bluff near Wanaka, police said yesterday.

American hunter Clifford Wayne Senter, 57, of New Hampshire, fell to his death when he left a helicopter and plunged down the bluff at Albert Burn, 6km north- east of Wanaka, at about 3pm on Monday.
Police retrieved his body yesterday.
Sergeant Aaron Nicholson, of Wanaka, said Senter, a friend, and a local hunting guide travelled to the area by helicopter on Monday afternoon and sighted chamois in the valley.
"The helicopter pilot positioned the party on a small outcrop so they could shoot the chamois and when Mr Senter exited the helicopter he slipped on the wet ground and started to slide down the slope with no chance of holding his fall," he said.
"It was clear the fall was not survivable as he had sustained very serious head and body injuries."
Alpine Cliff Rescue team leader Gary Dickson, who helped police retrieve the body yesterday, said the ledge was a reasonable landing spot for a helicopter but the ground nearby was mainly slippery rock with bits of tussock.
"It was an unfortunate accident," Dickson said. "Somehow he's slipped off there. When you do start sliding you've got no way of stopping yourself."
Civil Aviation Authority spokesman Bill Sommer said it was an unusual accident. The authority would investigate but it was not expected anybody would visit the site.
The authority hoped to clarify whether Senter slipped from the helicopter skid or the ground.
"Whenever there's an accident or incident like this the pilots will fill out a report form. We use that information and if we want anything further we go back to them," he said.
Senter's wife did not go out with the hunting party. Yesterday, she was still in Wanaka where she was expecting family from the United States to join her.
Low cloud and fog enveloped the valley on Monday, preventing police from reaching the body, but it was a straightforward operation yesterday, Dickson said.
Police officers were able to walk to Senter's body at the bottom of the bluff and connect it to a strop on the helicopter.
Digital photos had been taken of the scene, which would allow police to more accurately establish the distance of the fall.

They keep calling this a Steep Bluff... How about a ****ing sheer cliff.. You can walk down a Steep Bluff.... 300 meter drop is another story.
Never hunted down there, but I dont think I want someone having me step out that close to a "Steep Bluff"

NZ Herald

Police still in doubt about how hunter fell to death

Thursday May 25, 2006

It is still not clear how American hunter Clifford Senter fell to his death in the Southern Alps.
Wanaka police are unable to confirm whether the 57-year-old slipped down a steep bluff as he left a helicopter or lost his footing after leaving the machine.
The Civil Aviation Authority has appointed Harold Carter to investigate the circumstances surrounding his death.
Mr Senter, from Plaistow, New Hampshire, fell 300m down a steep bluff while hunting for chamois after the helicopter had delivered his hunting party of three to a ledge in the Albert Burn Valley on Monday.
Detective Constable Derek Shaw, of Wanaka, said Mr Senter was the second member of the hunting party to leave the helicopter after guide Rachel Stewart, of Leithen Valley Trophy Hunts.
Mr Shaw said the police were still trying to find exactly where Mr Senter had fallen.
Witnesses would need to be questioned again before any recommendation could be made to the coroner.
Civil Aviation Authority communications adviser Bill Sommer said Mr Carter would conduct a routine investigation from Wellington focused on the standard accident form filled out by operators after any flying accident.
Mountain guide Gary Dickson, said the ledge was a normal drop-off area.

Have to agree
 

With you Davey. Pretty unfair advantage using a helo for hunting.:=

That's interesting.
I thought Davey's comment was cheap and deserving of contempt.

If it was not for venison recovery/ live capture/ flying punters into inaccessable areas for a shot, many operators within the industry would not exist, you dumb fixed-wing tosser.

Now folks, there is one very good investigation for you.

"I say Neville, bit of bother that, be the good chap and send us a postcard will ya?"

Someone gets killed....and you don't go to the site to see what it looks like and compare that site inspection to the accounts given by the participants?

Skid biters vicious hand bagging
 

Slowdown there skid biter, return the catch on that handbag of yours sure deer recovery started a lot of operations; some would say (me included) that today we now have a hangover from that day (i.e. to many operators fighting for too little work, helicopter rates in the toilet with pilots working for 5/8ths of f%#k all). While I agree that every opportunity should be taken to kill deer in the wild (in NZ) I have myself taken hunting trips in where we drop the hunter (or so called) and a guide on a knoll and then I fly off and literally muster the animal towards the hunter. Once I am out of the way and the animal is running towards the ambush as significant speed the ‘hunter’ takes the shot. No very sporting eh ‘old chap’

Skidbiter-be nice
 

With all the technology and high powered rifles/scopes around today, one would think you would need less skills and opportunity than years gone by to shoot an animal obviously miles away from civilisation and not bothering anyone, not more.:ugh: Sounds like trying to prove how big your donga is (or isn't) to me.
Fixed wing yes.... But mainly twin rotary these days:D

Flying Lawyer.
My point was not meant to be cheap or contemptuous.
The point is, anyone so determined to spend time, money and so much effort to kill any animal should either be better equipped, better trained or be prepared to take whatever comes their way.

skidbiter,

in the most european countries hunting with helicopters, means shooting from the helicopter or herding animals to the shooters or traps is strictly prohibited because of hunting and not aerial laws!

bell hater,

i do agree with you on the remarks about skidbiter, the good ol venison days did bring the industry to life in nz, and there are now a s:mad: tload of operators and bugger all work and people working for f all as you say!!
but there is also a big market at the moment in doing these types of hunts for clients, i have done them and they are great fun flying wise, but they aren't very sporting but sometimes money is money,you know obviously what it is like if you have done them before, the biggest concern is to get miles away before they start blazzing at the animal and there is lead flying in every direction apart from where the animal actually is!!:eek:
There are no laws prohibiting the hunting of animals form helicopters in nz, but somehow i think after this incident that something might change that, if you actually work out the number of people going out there and doing that kind of hunting compared to the amount of incidents then there is actually f all incidents!!!:E :ok:

A bad couple of weeks for the pilot
 

Greenstone theft puts pilot in jail
31 May 2006
By DEBBIE JAMIESON

Two years after he was charged with the theft of West Coast greenstone, helicopter pilot Harvey Hutton yesterday began an 18-month jail sentence.

Judge John MacDonald refused Hutton bail despite a draft appeal being lodged against his convictions on two representative counts of stealing greenstone between 1997 and 2004.

He also ordered Hutton to pay $300,000 in reparation to the rightful owners of the greenstone (pounamu), Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu, and that high-quality upland stone confiscated from Hutton by police be given to the Runanga.

Runanga chief executive Tahu Potiki later said he was pleased the justice system had upheld Ngai Tahu's property rights, although he would like to have seen a different type of reparation.

"But at the moment we're satisfied we are in a position to protect the pounamu resource that belongs to Ngai Tahu."

The illegal theft of greenstone from the West Coast and subsequent investigations and criminal trials had delayed the beginnings of a Ngai Tahu-driven greenstone industry and that lost opportunity had cost an estimated 60 full-time jobs and nearly $2 million, he said.

The judge earlier told the Dunedin District Court, where the gallery was packed with Hutton's family and supporters, that it had been extremely difficult to assess the appropriate level of reparation.

The Crown contended Hutton owed more than $1m for the theft of 40 tonnes of greenstone.

Defence counsel Colin Withnall said evidence had shown only 20 tonnes had been stolen and Hutton, who still denied the theft, owed no more than $115,000 based on the evidence. However, he offered to pay $300,000.

Sentencing Hutton was difficult be-cause the case was unique and Hutton would be out of place in a prison, the judge said.

"Without wanting to overstate matters, it's quite clear in your search-and-rescue work that you have saved lives and often in heroic and trying circumstances.

"I can say unreservedly that you being in the community enhances the safety of the community. That is ironical."

The judge also heard Hutton had helped police locate a crashed helicopter that went missing in Mount Aspiring National Park in March and had contrib-uted to his community through his tourism business, Depart-ment of Conservation wildlife programmes, and even fundrais-ing at local cake stalls.

A large bundle of testi-monials given to the court included one signed by 16 Kaumatua and 34 members of the Makaawhio Runanga, the South-Westland Runanga that represents the area from where Hutton took greenstone.

The members were concerned that Hutton's inability to operate his helicopter company could adversely affect already limited employment and job opportunities in the area, it said.

However, the judge said Hutton's theft had been carefully planned with a high level of premeditation and had taken place over several years.

"I have to take the view that you were in it for the money," he said. "Because of the fact of the offending and value of the pro-perty involved I do not see that I can res-ponsibly impose any other sentence except imprisonment. Anything else would be quite inadequate in these circumstances."

Hutton was granted leave to apply for home detention in the Dunedin area.

Copter legend faces tough penalties
28 May 2006
By MARY JANE BOLAND

A Central Otago pilot involved in a hunting trip which left an American tourist dead faces forfeiture of his helicopter and property after a court conviction for stealing greenstone.


Makarora pilot Harvey Hutton will be sentenced in Dunedin District Court on Tuesday after last year being found guilty of stealing more than 10,000kg of greenstone from Ngai Tahu property on the West Coast between 1997 and 2004.

Crown solicitor Robin Bates said he would be seeking forfeiture of Hutton's chopper and property under proceeds of crime laws.

Hutton's lawyer, Colin Withnall, QC, said it was inappropriate to comment before sentencing.

Hutton is something of a legend in Central Otago. He has run hunting trips for 30 years, and operates several tourism ventures - including jetboating - from Makarora, 65km north of Wanaka. His helicopter hunting expeditions go into remote alpine terrain.

Police are investigating Monday's hunting trip, in which New Hampshire plumbing company owner Clifford Wayne Senter, 57, died after he slipped about 300m down a cliff in Mt Aspiring National Park.

Police are trying to clarify whether Senter slipped as he was getting out of the chopper, piloted by Hutton, or after he was on the ground.

AdvertisementAdvertisementHutton's wife, Patsy, said her husband had nothing to say about the Crown's attempts to claim his helicopter and their property.

Civil Aviation Authority safety investigator Harold Carter hoped to receive more information from police this week to determine if his agency needed to investigate. It depended on whether Senter was on the helicopter when he slipped. If the CAA investigated, it would assess whether the spot was suitable for a helicopter to set down passengers.

Johnston said the area where the helicopter landed was rugged alpine terrain.

Senter's close friend, Nelson Rapanot, was in the helicopter when the accident occurred.

He and Senter, and their wives, were on their first trip to New Zealand.

Speaking from Plaistow, New Hampshire, Senter's sister-in-law Sandra Senter said Rapanot had told them it was slippery in the area because of snow and recent rain.

"The wind rocked the helicopter a little bit and he lost his footing. (Nelson) tried to grab him and his fingers slipped through him."

The family did not blame anyone for the death, she said. "Accidents happen for whatever reason... Cliffy had been hunting for long enough that he wouldn't have let them do something unsafe."

Clifford and Linda Senter had travelled the world on golf and hunting expeditions, bringing home many hunting trophies.

He had a room dedicated to his hunting trophies and had already caught a thar in New Zealand which he planned to mount on a wall alongside the chamois he and Rapanot were chasing when the accident happened.

Sandra Senter said Clifford Senter's wife Linda had been unable to talk since the accident

yep, not a good couple of weeks for him!!!:{

OK, for some of us uneducated. What is Greenstone......Sounds like a squabble between palefaces and tribals.....

greenstone is a type of stone (funny enough), they use it for making jewllery and stone carvings, the ancient maroi used it as weapons and it is now worth a bit of money!!! especially now that the maroi's didn't have to pay to get this lot lifted out!!:E

And worth more after the NZ goverment gave them the land that goes with it... The best stuff is found around the cascade river on the west coast .Thats where i got my lot from .:=

"What is Greenstone"
 

B. Sousa
I
It is a type of nephrite jade. It is extremely hard and as EMS says ideal for making jewellery. The NZ jade (pounamu) is prized of its deep dark green colour.

Yes, you are correct there is an element of the tribals vs palefaces. However, it is more a case of theft of property.

The Government vested ownership of pounamu to the local Maori tribe as part of its settlement of claims related to land confiscation and alienation.

Before that it was deemed to be owned by the Crown. It was able to be mined and sold under licence. There was never a situation where people could just go and help themselves - despite the fact that some did just that.
TK

te_kahu. you can actually go and get it as long as you can carry it!!!
The Government vested ownership of pounamu to the local Maori tribe as part of its settlement of claims related to land confiscation and alienation.
the3 only alienation was when the white boys did finish the job properly years ago!!!

ems 300

Correct, I was referring to commercial extraction.

What job? What white boys?

TK

I think what ems300 means is when the European arrived they didn't kill all the maoris out .And if they did do it job right the first time , none of this would of happened. I think that the a great % of NZers are sick of the goverment giving out hand outs left , right and center to the maori.

Looks like Te_Kahu lit the fire when he deemed it necessary to mention that the Government Robe Wearers have sacraficed another paleface to appease the Gods........
Anyway, its the same song from another place. We have it here in the U.S., Canada has theirs, its rampant now in South Africa.
I now know what greenstone is... and Im sure it wont be long for the PC Mods here jump in as a Non Politically Correct Hijacking of the thread may be in progress.
Back to the Poor Soul who walked off the 300 meter "Steep Bluff"

How about a nice cup of tea and a lie down
 

B Sousa
Well said.
I didn't intend to light a fire which took the thread completely away from anthing at all to do with Rotorheads.

It does seem that a couple of my countrymen are a tad aggrieved. Sadly ill informed but aggrieved none the less.

TK

........"Back to the Poor Soul who walked off the 300 meter "Steep Bluff" "

Well said BushBandit!! Well said.
But as B Sousa said, lets get back to the proper topic guys.
RIP
Hughesy

Thanks hughesy. I look at this accident as just that , A unfortuante accident .People that venture in to the back country of any place in the world know the risk involved .I feel the problem in this case , That the people that go on guide hunt's in some parts of NZ do not have a great lot of experince in this sort of terrain .
The terrain where the accident happened is rugged with gaint bluffs ,ice and snow .As someone stated on this thread , "if it didnt involve a Chopper who would really care .
Hard luck Harvey . You be back just as strong .

Bert,

Up in Alaska many Moons ago...there was one place near Galena that was right for slinging off unworked tailings from a very productive gold mine. Plan was to stop by on the empty back haul and grab a load and drop them at a stream bed close to the work site and work it during the off season. Only thing that stopped us was the concept of Alaskan justice being much quicker than the legal system when way out in the bush.

Don't you just love the helicopter business....I am sure you know a crook or two from your travels.

"I am sure you know a crook or two from your travels." Nothing but honest folks........ha ha.
I know of Galena........

ems300

I am appalled at your ignorance, learn how to spell maori before you start slagging them.

........"Back to the Poor Soul who walked off the 300 meter "Steep Bluff" "

I think what Bushbandit meant to say was: "Since I'm a white supremacist, I think we should have slaughtered all the Maori when we had the chance, then we wouldn't have had to deal with all of their complaints regarding the British Empire stealing their land."

Deer/Elk/Moose done as Country style steak, mashed potatoes, Green beans, carrots........hmmmmmmm Good!

Rabbit done on the Webber, deep fried Wild Turkey, squirrel pie, fried Dove and cheese grits, now we are talking!