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BK117-C1, ZK-IMX Controlled Flight into Terrain (Water), Auckland Islands, 22 April 2019

Report Publication Date 20 Apr 2023

https://www.taic.org.nz/inquiry/ao-2019-005

From the report

Quote:

The Commission made two safety recommendations to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) in section 6 to address these safety issues.

What we can learn
The key lessons from this investigation are listed in section 7. In summary they are that:
• The minimum requirement for NVG currency does not equate to proficiency.
• Helicopter underwater escape training (HUET) and immersion suits can increase survivability.
• If the operation needs crew to wear immersion suits, they should also carry essential emergency items on their person.
• All crew with flight-related duties need to be aware of the importance of radio altimeters when conducting NVIS operations and how to interpret the instrument and its alerts.
• Pilots should ensure their NVG flight time is separately logged.
• Overloading helicopters is a safety hazard.
• To be effective, emergency equipment such as a life-raft must also be accessible in an emergency and deployable for the crew to use.

All of that should have been blindingly obvious, especially the first bullet point - but I suppose the operation was built down to a cost rather than up to a standard.

The single most disorientating flight regime I have encountered is manoeuvring on NVG during a coastal letdown in marginal weather - on and off instruments, in and out of bits of cloud and rain, descending and turning towards the sea and cliffs.

Good rad alt SOPs are essential to such operations, especially with non-aircrew in the other front seat.

Quote:

Originally Posted by [email protected] (Post 11422810)

From the report
All of that should have been blindingly obvious, especially the first bullet point - but I suppose the operation was built down to a cost rather than up to a standard.

The single most disorientating flight regime I have encountered is manoeuvring on NVG during a coastal letdown in marginal weather - on and off instruments, in and out of bits of cloud and rain, descending and turning towards the sea and cliffs.

Good rad alt SOPs are essential to such operations, especially with non-aircrew in the other front seat.

NZ CAA is 'light touch', far too light touch. There has been far too little regulation for years and operators will cut corners to quote peanuts.