Ground injury involving a Hughes Helicopters 269C, VH-TES, Coolulah Station, 100 km north-north-west of Cloncurry, Queensland, on 27 March 1995

During a stock mustering operation, the head stockman, who was a passenger in the helicopter, asked the pilot to land so that he could give instructions to stockmen on the ground. The pilot landed the helicopter and commenced to secure the controls.

The stockman left his seat, stood up on the right step attached to the skid gear, and began to signal the stockmen by waving his right arm. The stockman's arm contacted the main rotor disc causing two fingers to be severed. After first aid, the stockman was transported in the helicopter to the Cloncurry Hospital where it was discovered that he had also broken his right wrist and arm.

The helicopter was slightly damaged with a broken right centre Perspex panel which was struck by the stockman's arm as it was flung from the rotor disc.

The stockman was a very experienced helicopter passenger. He had not been specifically briefed on helicopter safety aspects for this particular flight. The pilot was concerned with securing the helicopter after landing and did not see the event. He first noticed something was wrong when he saw the stockman writhing on the ground.