Aviation safety investigations & reports
Helicopter winching incident involving Eurocopter AS365, VH-WPX, near Perth, Western Australia, on 29 September 2020
AO-2020-053
Summary
The ATSB is investigating a helicopter winching incident involving Eurocopter AS365, registration VH-WPX, near Perth, Western Australia on 29 September 2020.
A rescue crewman was lowered onto the deck of a vessel as part of winch training exercise, off the coast of Perth, Western Australia. During the exercise, the rescue crewman was pulled overboard from the vessel, into and through the water. The rescue crewman was not injured.
The evidence collection phase of the investigation will include interviewing the pilots and witnesses and reviewing any available recorded flight data.
A final report will be released at the conclusion of the investigation. Should a critical safety issue be identified during the course of the investigation, the ATSB will immediately notify relevant parties so appropriate safety action can be taken.
General details
| Date: | 29 September 2020 | Investigation status: | Active | ||
| Time: | 1215 WST | Investigation level: | Short - click for an explanation of investigation levels | ||
| Location (show map): | near Perth | Investigation phase: | Final report: Drafting | ||
| State: | Western Australia | Occurrence type: | Miscellaneous - Other | ||
| Occurrence category: | Incident | ||||
| Report status: | Pending | Highest injury level: | None | ||
| Anticipated completion: | 2nd Quarter 2021 |
Aircraft details
| Aircraft manufacturer | Eurocopter | |
|---|---|---|
| Aircraft model | AS.365N3 | |
| Aircraft registration | VH-WPX | |
| Serial number | 6936 | |
| Operator | State of Western Australia - represented by Commissioner of Police | |
| Type of operation | Aerial Work | |
| Sector | Helicopter | |
| Damage to aircraft | Nil | |
| Departure point | Rous Head, Western Australia |