South Maroota NSW crash
 

The links have pictures of the wreckage in flames.


https://fb.watch/e8S1Dfs8oE/

Any idea on what type?

ADS-B coverage in the area is patchy, but I thought I saw a B206 in the area about that time.

Skynews reporting that the pilot died, aged in his 60s he was the sole occupant.
https://www.skynews.com.au/australia...9e370d357720df

7 News reporting it as a 206

Some nasty HT wires in that area.

Been released as Carl Hearps who owned NSW Helicopters. RIP

Quite a sad surprise on the news today, it was shown to be a LongRanger. The 7 News chopper was operating nearby and saw smoke coming up from a treeline, went over and discovered the wreckage freshly ablaze. They set down and went over with the camera crew in tow but nothing could be done.

Looks like it's impacted hard with the debris footprint and the fire.

Wires???? :mad:

I flew that are on last years floods in v-low vis. Spent the whole time eating the seat with my ar5e and my eyes on stalks looking out for wires. RIP CH

Airborne video showed the aircraft crashed in a clear way running through forested country as you would expect around HT lines. Didn't notice any lines in the brief clip, probably more focused on the aircraft.

There's two clips I've seen, one shot airborne, one from the Channel 7 cameraman on the ground and at the wreckage - and I'm not overly fond of that clip, TBH knowing another pilot died only minutes earlier there...But I didn't see any evidence of powerlines, either HV or LV in either clip. Not to say there weren't powerlines there, just I didn't see any in either clip...

Yes I was surprised they played that clip. Not really appropriate in my opinion. I found it hard to watch seeing AM walking around the crash and possibly knowing the pilot is somewhere amongst it. I however believe he landed to render assistance which any of us would do. I just don’t think that clip should have been broadcast.

All the news references are to it being a Bell 206L.
CASA register show him owning a Huey. Old vision shows his helo as a Huey.
are the references incorrect?

If you look at the 7 News video at the 1:36 mark you'll see a good shot of the detached side door that looks very 206-like. I'll screenshot it, as I don't believe video showing the close-ups of the wreckage should be published here.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....300b47e83a.png

I think he may have been cross hiring it ( 206L1) from my sources.

Odd that the rear LongRanger door has detached like that - the front part of the rear door is held on by pip pins, and the back part is pinned to the front bit, but the whole door section has departed in one piece. So the front pins and the rear latch have both let go.

If you search the Australian aircraft register, of the small number of helicopters with "NSW Helicopters Pty Ltd" as the Registered Operator, VH-ZMF is the only Bell 206L-1 and AustAirData shows it in scheme as seen in image of door posted by KRviator. A Polish aviation magazine website is indicating the crashed helicopter is VH-ZMF but not sure if they managed to get the information first hand from somewhere, or also by the above process. I replayed aircraft movements in the area via FlightRadar24 and the NSW Police Bell 412 made repeated passes and orbits over the scene, perhaps to gather information to support ATSB accident investigation??

The aircraft was a UH1 Huey.. Power lines played no part In the accident.

No it wasnt.

If it is a UH1 that’s a very strange door mod.

Terrible accident in any case. No matter the cause or type.
RIP.