Robinson R22, VH-HEU, Wave Hill Station NT, 16 June 1990

The pilot had been hired to ferry the aircraft to the operator in Western Australia and had landed to refuel at Elliot. While on the ground, he agreed to deliver a box to the Wave Hill police station and stowed it, unrestrained, on top of a jerry can in the unoccupied seat. The aircraft was reportedly fitted with permanently installed dual controls. On approach to land at Wave Hill Station, the box shifted, fell onto a swag on the floor and restricted the movement of the cyclic control. The pilot was thus unable to manoeuvre to avoid a cattle crate stand and the tail rotor struck one of the rails. The helicopter then landed heavily on its skids.