The pilot reported that the aircraft was higher than normal during the approach to land in crosswind conditions. The aircraft touched down heavily and bounced. Control was not regained and the aircraft stalled at about 10 feet above the runway. It then struck the ground in a nose down attitude, sustaining damage to the forward fuselage and the propeller. The pilot lacked recent experience on the aircraft type. A go-around was not initiated after the aircraft bounced on landing.

Earlier in the day the pilot had flown the aircraft from his farm to Muresk. Because no fuel was available at Muresk, he decided to fly the aircraft to Northam, 13 kilometres to the north. Just after the aircraft became airborne, the engine lost power. The pilot was committed to landing in a paddock. During the landing sequence the aircraft struck a fence and ran over a depressed roadway, tearing off the nosegear. The loss of engine power was due to fuel exhaustion. Prior to commencing the take off, the pilot did not check the quantity in the fuel tanks, nor did he calculate the remaining fuel endurance.

The pilot departed Toowoomba early on the same day to ferry the aircraft via refuelling stops at Walgett and Griffith. The flight evidently proceeded normally until the aircraft was on approach to land at Parafield. At this time the pilot advised that the engine was failing and shortly afterwards he reported that he was experiencing fuel problems and would attempt a forced landing. Control of the aircraft was subsequently lost and it crashed inverted into a suburban property. Inspection of the wreckage revealed that the engine had failed through fuel exhaustion. Fuel usage on the previous legs of the flight should have indicated to the pilot that the aircraft could not reach the destination with the mandatory fuel reserves. The pilot was known to be in a hurry to make an onward transport connection from Adelaide and he possibly allowed this to influence his decision to attempt the flight non-stop from Griffith. When the engine failed the aircraft was about 800 feet agl and there were no suitable forced landing areas within gliding distance. Control of the aircraft was then lost at too low a height to enable recovery before impact with the ground.

As the aircraft was climbing through 8000 feet the engine suffered a complete loss of power. After unsuccessfully attempting to restore engine power, the pilot selected a small clearing in which to land. During the landing attempt, the aircraft floated the 160 metre length of the clearing before colliding with trees. A substantial amount of foreign matter and corrosion had accumulated in the carburettor float bowl, main strainer bowl and auxilary fuel pump. Although the fuel filters were clean the corrosion was evidence that water had been held within the system for some considerable time. It is probable that during the climb some of the foreign matter blocked the carburettor main jet.

On downwind after the first take-off following a scheduled servicing the pilots were unable to fully extend the landing gear. After all efforts to lower the gear by normal and emergency methods were unsuccessful, the pilot in command carried out a safe landing with the gear retracted. Part of the work carried out during the servicing included the replacement of 'O'-ring seals in the main gear up-lock valve. During re-assembly of this valve, a ball bearing, whose function was to direct fluid to the actuator, was omitted. When the system was activated, insufficient pressure could be generated to fully extend and lock the gear.

The pilot reported that just after lift off the engine seemed to lose power. She manoeuvred the helicopter to a suitable landing area, but during the landing the main rotor blades struck a sapling. The helicopter was then repositioned to another landing site where the engine was shutdown and the damage to the main rotors noticed. An inspection of the engine revealed that the number two and four exhaust valves had been sticking and that the valve guides were out of tolerance. It is probable that the loss of engine power was a result of the exhaust valves sticking.

At the conclusion of a parachute dropping sortie, the pilot landed the aircraft at the strip in a strong crosswind. During the landing roll the aircraft began to swing to the left and the right gear leg collapsed. The right wing, tailplane and elevator were bent after contacting the ground. The aircraft was one of four operating from the strip, when the wind backed and increased in strength, during the passage of a weak front. The pilot had been aware of the change in wind velocity before attempting the landing.

The pilot stated that just after the aircraft became airborne it encountered a strong gust of wind. The left wing tip and nosewheel struck the ground and the aircraft overturned. During the take-off run the pilot held back pressure on the control column and at 50 knots selected 10 degrees of flap, the aircraft becoming airborne after a ground roll of only 170 metres. The take-off distance required was 650 metres, however, the take-off was attempted on an unprepared salt pan with an available take-off distance of 300 metres. The pilot had operated from this area previously but on this occasion the aircraft was at a higher all up weight. The wind gust reported by the pilot was probably associated with a willy willy, encountered when the aircraft was at a low airspeed.

Circumstances:

The helicopter collided with powerlines whilst engaged on a pig spotting flight.

As part of a communications propagation test, personnel were to be positioned in the Oraparinna National Park by helicopter. One person was being lowered by winch when, at about 3 metres below the helicopter and 4 metres above the ground, his harness became detached from the winch hook and he fell to the ground. The reason for the harness becoming detached from the winch hook could not be determined.