The pilot reported that the takeoff and initial climb were normal. However, a substantial loss of engine power had occurred when the aircraft had just passed the upwind end of the runway and had reached a height of about 400 feet. The engine regained power briefly but then failed completely. The pilot considered that the terrain ahead of the aircraft was unsuitable for a forced landing, and he elected to attempt to return to the strip. By this time the aircraft had descended to a height of about 200 feet. As the aircraft entered the turn it stalled and attempts by the pilot to recover from the stall were unsuccessful. The aircraft descended rapidly and struck the runway about 56 metres from the threshold. An investigation of the aircraft revealed no pre-existing defects which could have contributed to the accident and the cause of the reported loss of engine power remains undetermined.

The helicopter was being used as an airborne filming platform. It was being flown at about 30 feet above ground level along the side of a roadway, while the film crew filmed a bus that was travelling along the road. The helicopter was observed to gain altitude and pass over a power line then descend again to 30 feet above ground level. After travelling a further 500 metres the helicopter struck a spur line running from the main power line, pitched nose up before descending out of control and colliding with the ground. The wreckage slid 50 metres before coming to rest on the road. The positon of both the sun and the support poles of the spur line would have made detection of the line difficult unless the pilot had prior knowledge of its position. The pilot was not seen to conduct a survey of the area for obstacles prior to commencing low level operations. The task required the pilot to concentrate on the bus to the right of the helicopter as well as the flight path ahead. Examination of the wreakage did not reveal any malfunction which may have contributed to the occurrence. It appeared that on impact with the spur line one cable contacted the bottom of the windscreen pillar and the other became entangled in the rotor blades. All significant damage to the aircraft appeared to have resulted from ground impact.

During the initial climb after take-off, before the translational lift was obtained, the check pilot closed the throttle to simulate an engine failure. The aircraft touched down heavily on the rear of the left pop-out float and pitched forward onto the right float. It then rolled backwards bending the rear of the tail boom, which was then severed by the main rotor. The crew shut the helicopter down before evacuating the aircraft. The pilot under check attempted to arrest the descent rate too early with collective. The check pilot attempted too correct this but was unable to do so prior to ground contact.

The pilot submitted a flight plan for a flight from Brisbane Airport to the television studios at Mt Cootha. The flight planned cruising altitude was 1000 feet. When the pilot requested an airways clearance, prior to takeoff, the Surface Movement Controller(SMC) in the Brisbane Control Tower found that the required cruising altitude had not been annotated on the flight progress strip. He therefore issued the aircraft with a clearance at 1500 feet. This altitude was accepted and acknowledged by the pilot. The SMC then advised the Brisbane Approach Controller the cleared cruising altitude of the aircaft. After the aircraft departed, the pilot advised the Brisbane Approach Controller that the aircraft was on climb to a cruising altitude of 1000 feet, in error. This was not queried by the Approach Controller. No traffic conflictions resulted from the occurrence.

The aircraft was cruising at 2000 feet above mean sea level, when the pilot observed an apparent engine failure. The pilot set the aircraft up for an autorotational approach. As the aircraft approached the ground, the pilot observed that the surface was not suitable for a run-on landing so he modified the approach, just prior to touchdown, so that the aircraft would land with zero residual forward speed. The touch-down was heavier than normal and the main rotor severed the tail boom. After landing the pilot observed that the engine was still running, but at a speed well below ground idle, and it had to be shut down manually. The engine lost power because the body of the power turbine governor failed as a result of high cycle, low stress fatigue cracking. The precise reason for the start of the fatigue crack could not be determined. However, it is likely that it was caused by the additional stress placed on the governor body when the vibration of an unrestrained servo pressure accumulator was transmitted to the body by the rigid stainless steel piping. The stress may have been aggravated by contact between the accumulator and an undetermined part of the aircraft.

As the aircraft was accelerating to the normal climbing speed after takeoff, the pilot lost elevator control. The nose continued to pitch up until the pilot closed the throttles. He then discovered that he could maintain limited pitch control by the judicious use of power. A successful gear-up forced landing was made, however, during the landing slide one wing was torn off after it struck a tree. An inspection of the elevator control system revealed that its control cable had been incorrectly engaged into the control column fork. While the locking pin was fitted correctly, it was rendered ineffective due to the incorrect fitment of the cable. Despite numerous maintenance inspections this error went undetected. Due to the location of the control column fork, the pilot would not have been expected to notice the unserviceability on his daily inspection.

On arrival at his destination the pilot is reported to have overflown a house near the strip before entering a steep climb to an altitude of about 300 feet. The aircraft was then observed to enter a steep left turn and dive into the ground. The pilot received head injuries in the accident and had only limited recall of the events of the day. However, it appears likely that the aircraft was stalled during the steep turn and entered a spiral/spin from which the pilot was apparently unable to recover. This accident was not the subject of an on-site investigation.

After completing a circuit, the aircraft was flown along the strip at an altitude of 50 feet. An airspeed of 50 knots was maintained with a low power setting. Towards the end of the strip the pilot attempted to apply climb power but the engine did not respond. The pilot selected a clear area straight ahead and landed the aircraft. During the landing roll the aircraft struck a tree stump which was hidden in the tall grass. The contact spring was missing from the distributor cap, which caused the output from the magneto to short circuit to ground and as a result of which the engine lost power.

The owner of the aircraft is reported to have worn a neck brace to assist with his recovery from a neck injury suffered some years ago. On the evening preceding the accident he had complained of feeling unwell. The next morning he rose at about 0600 hours and apparently prepared the aircraft for a flight to a neighbour's property. The wreckage of the aircraft was located about four kilometres north of the pilot's homestead at 0830 hours. The aircraft was found to have impacted the ground in an inverted attitude. Examination of the wreckage indicated that the aircraft had been constructed and maintained to a high standard and no defect could be found that may have contributed to the occurrence. The aircraft was fitted with a serviceable emergency parachute which had not been activated by the pilot. The actuating lever was readily accessible within the cockpit. Post mortem examination revealed that the pilot suffered from coronary artery disease. It was also reported that he had previously suffered several periods of total incapacitation. It is considered possible that he may suffered incapacitation in flight.

The aircraft had previously been flown to test a new propeller installation. Maintenance personnel then checked the propeller, after which the pilot taxied for a local flight. Shortly after take-off there was a sudden and complete loss of power. The pilot attempted a forced landing in a paddock, but the aircraft stalled at a low height and struck the ground heavily. The engine had failed when a small piece of felt in the carburettor blocked the flow through the fuel nozzle. The felt had evidently been in the carburettor since the previous disassembly of this unit. The pilot had only limited experience on the aircraft type, and had probably not monitored the airspeed during the latter stages of the forced landing.