Summary
The pilot was conducting a noxious plant inspection and contour flying about 50 ft above hilly terrain at an indicated airspeed of 20kts to 25 kts.
The helicopter struck a single powerline which slide up the bubble and contacted the flying controls before breaking. Although cyclic control was partially lost, the pilot was able to land the helicopter without further incident.
The powerline had a span of approximately 200 metres between supporting poles and was difficult to detect from the air.
Occurrence summary
| Investigation number | 199504137 |
|---|---|
| Occurrence date | 06/12/1995 |
| Location | 17 km west of Walcha (ALA) |
| State | New South Wales |
| Report release date | 07/06/1996 |
| Report status | Final |
| Investigation type | Occurrence Investigation |
| Investigation status | Completed |
| Mode of transport | Aviation |
| Aviation occurrence category | Wirestrike |
| Occurrence class | Incident |
Aircraft details
| Manufacturer | Hiller Aviation |
|---|---|
| Model | UH-12E |
| Registration | VH-MJV |
| Sector | Helicopter |
| Departure point | Walcha NSW |
| Destination | Walcha NSW |
| Damage | Minor |