After touch down the aircraft began a series of bounces. The pilot initially attempted to control the aircraft with the elevators but then applied full power to go-around. However, the aircraft struck the ground in a nose-down attitude tearing off the nosewheel and bending the propeller blades. The pilot was relatively inexperienced in the aircraft type. The circuit was poorly judged and resulted in a steep final approach, at a low power setting , being flown. Following the misjudged landing flare, the pilot delayed in carrying out a go-around.

Prior to DEPARTURE the pilot checked the fuel quantity using a graduated dipstick, marked in litres and gallons. He noted that there was apparently sufficient fuel for the proposed flight. About 75 minutes after take-off and while cruising at 4500 feet amsl the engine lost all power. The pilot was committed to a forced landing in a rugged, heavily timbered area. The landing gear was sheared off on touchdown and deceleration forces were severe. Subsequent investigation revealed that the engine failed from fuel exhaustion. The pilot had not flown this particular aircraft before and was unfamiliar with the dipstick graduations. He misinterpreted the quantity indicated on the dipstick litres scale as gallons and whilst dipping the tanks his eye level was such that he could not see the fuel level within the tanks. During the flight the pilot had placed little reliance on fuel gauge indications.

Circumstances:

Shortly after DEPARTURE the pilot received an unfavourable weather report and decided to return to the DEPARTURE strip. The wind at the strip was estimated at 280/15 and the landing direction was 300 degrees. As the aircraft was about to touch down a sudden wind gust lifted the nose and left wing. The pilot recovered to a wings level attitude but the aircraft was then heading 30 degrees to the right of the landing direction. The aircraft collided with two low hawthorn bushes, coming to a stop a short distance further on facing opposite the landing direction.

The pilot advised that during the approach he did not notice a piece of blue plastic tarpaulin in long grass adjacent to the landing area. As he lowered the collective control after touchdown, there was a loud bang and the aircraft began to shake violently. Main rotor RPM had virtually ceased before the pilot was able to shut down the engine. As the aircraft became stationary the pilot noticed a piece of the tarpaulin was attached to one of the main rotor blades. The pilot had not previously landed at this property, and was unaware that the tarpaulin had been left on a loading ramp. It had evidently been lifted into the air by rotor slipstream and had then fallen into the rotor disc. This caused one blade to become partially detached, with resulting imbalance of the rotor system and a short period of ground resonance.

The aircraft was stolen by a person with the intention of travelling to Western Australia. The ignition lock was activated using the frame of a pair of sunglasses, and after starting the engine the pilot taxied the aircraft onto the strip, where he commenced to take off downwind. Shortly after the aircraft became airborne the tail struck the ground, and the pilot reduced engine power. The nosewheel then contacted the ground and the aircraft commenced to "wheelbarrow". It ran off the side of the strip and subsequently overturned. There is no record of the pilot ever having held a flying licence, or of having received any formal flying training.

Circumstances:

The pilot reported that the aircraft was on approach to a pad when the engine lost power. The aircraft was landed heavily short of the landing area, and after touchdown the engine was still running at a low power setting. Inspection of the aircraft revealed that one of the fuel line fittings was not correctly tightened and also a fuel drain tap was worn. It is considered possible that either, or a combination, of the above faults may have allowed air to enter the fuel lines which could have resulted in the loss of engine power.

The pilot was mustering cattle when the helicopter yawed to the right. Believing there was a tail rotor failure, the pilot turned to the left towards a clearing to land as soon as possible. The landing was heavy, and the main rotors severed the tail boom. Investigation revealed that the initial yaw to the right had occurred when the main rotor blades struck trees. The pilot did not realise during the short time interval between the decision to land and the landing itself, that if there had been a tail rotor failure he would not have been able to maintain normal control when positioning for landing.

Sport parachute jumping was taking place over a long weekend. The aircraft being used had been prepared for the task by the removal of the right door, most of the seats and the control wheel on the right side. However, the tube to which the control wheel was attached remained protruding from the instrument panel. The parachute instructor was positioned near the right door opening, with his back to the instrument panel. As the first of the students prepared to take up his position in the door opening, the instructor moved back and pressed against the control wheel tube. This resulted in a nose-down pitch change, which the pilot corrected by pulling back on his control column. Shortly afterwards, the instructor leant back more forcefully and the aircraft adopted a steep nose-down attitude. The pilot shouted that he was unable to control the aircraft, and the instructor then grasped the door frame and exited the aircraft. At this point the aircraft had descended from 2500 feet above the ground to about 1000 feet. The instructor's parachute commenced opening at a height of about 400 feet, but it did not fully deploy before he struck the ground. The pilot regained control of the aircraft and carried out an uneventful landing with the students and the observer still on board. A subsequent inspection revealed that the instructor's equipment was in a serviceable condition at the time of the accident, and there was no evidence that he had suffered any sudden illness or incapacity which might have affected his judgment. A series of tests were undertaken which showed that it was possible that portion of the instructor's clothing may have snagged on the engine controls. However, the reason he subsequently jumped from the aircraft could not be positively determined, nor could the reason he failed to activate his parachute until a low height above the ground.

Circumstances:

The aircraft reportedly crashed on take-off tearing off the nose gear leg.

Circumstances:

Wind conditions at the destination aerodrome were forecast to be 150 degrees at 12 knots but were actually 170 degrees at 25 to 35 knots. On late final approach to Runway 14, the pilot encountered strong wind shear which caused the indicated airspeed to reduce rapidly from 95 to 75 knots. The aircraft sank and landed heavily just short of the threshold. This accident was not the subject of an on-scene investigation.