Summary
On 30 April 2011, the owner-pilot of a Robinson Helicopter Co. R44 helicopter, registered VH-ETT, was conducting a local flight from a private property located near Kilmore Gap, Victoria. During low-level manoeuvring at low speed around a dam, the pilot lost directional control and landed heavily in the water. The helicopter was seriously damaged; the pilot and passenger sustained minor injuries.
The investigation found that the helicopter was probably serviceable, and that the loss of directional control was likely to be a result of a loss of tail rotor effectiveness.
The emergency locator transmitter (ELT) activated on impact and prompted an effective search and rescue (SAR) response through a broadcast on the 121.5 MHz frequency. However, the 406 MHz transmission that was monitored by the SAR agency did not trigger an alert or provide identification information. As a result, there was no assurance of an immediate and effective response from the SAR agency.
The investigation found that the ELT could be programmed with identification information either directly or (if fitted) by input from a component (dongle) in the ELT wiring connector. In this occurrence, the ELT had been inadvertently reprogrammed with incorrect information from the dongle.
A minor safety issue was identified in that there were only subtle cues to distinguish programmable dongles from the standard-type wiring connector. There was also variability in the conduct of post-installation ELT testing.
In response, on 6 June 2011, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) published Airworthiness Bulletin 25-018 to alert maintenance organisations to the risk of programming dongles transferring potentially invalid details to the memory of ELTs. CASA advised that an article in Flight Safety Australia would also highlight the issue.
The helicopter manufacturer advised that they were introducing measures to increase awareness of programming dongles in their new helicopters.
Occurrence summary
| Investigation number | AO-2011-055 |
|---|---|
| Occurrence date | 30/04/2011 |
| Location | 4 km south-east of Kilmore |
| State | Victoria |
| Report release date | 08/08/2011 |
| Report status | Final |
| Investigation level | Systemic |
| Investigation type | Occurrence Investigation |
| Investigation status | Completed |
| Mode of transport | Aviation |
| Aviation occurrence category | Loss of control |
| Occurrence class | Accident |
| Highest injury level | Minor |
Aircraft details
| Manufacturer | Robinson Helicopter Co |
|---|---|
| Model | R44 |
| Registration | VH-ETT |
| Serial number | 1946 |
| Sector | Helicopter |
| Operation type | Private |
| Damage | Substantial |