Collision with terrain

At about 1000 Eastern Standard Time on 4 January 2012, a Cessna 172 N aircraft, registered VH-ZWR, operating under the Visual Flight Rules in G Airspace, was taking off to conduct a charter flight with the pilot and three passengers on board.

When the aircraft had reached about 25 to 30 ft above ground level, after take-off from The Oaks beach at Fraser Island, Queensland, the aircraft descended. The right wingtip struck the beach near the water line and the aircraft came to rest on the left wingtip and nose. The occupants exited the aircraft with minor injuries before the aircraft was turned on its back several minutes later by wave action.

The circumstances of the accident were consistent with an aircraft stalling as it climbed out of ground effect while flying at an airspeed and configuration where the airspeed was unstable.

As a result of this accident the operator has reviewed their soft field take-off procedures.

This accident highlights that pilots should be aware of the effect that flap extension has on the stall attitude of their aircraft, and the need for pilots to be aware of performance variations when conducting a soft field take-off.

On 1 January 2012, at about 0900 Eastern Daylight- savings Time, a Cessna Aircraft Company A188B/A1 aircraft registered VH-ZAP (ZAP) was conducting aerial work about 40 km south of Forbes, New South Wales. During the application of chemicals, the aircraft developed a high sink rate as a result of a downdraught and the left wing impacted trees. The subsequent post-impact fire seriously damaged the aircraft, and the pilot received minor injuries. The pilot reported that he had difficulties activating the emergency dump control system to lighten the aircraft.

This accident highlights the risks associated with executing a turn when in close proximity to the ground. Such manoeuvres require heightened pilot vigilance regarding controlling the aircraft. In addition, pilots must be prepared to immediately identify the situation and act to control the aircraft, in order to compensate for a change in wind direction or downdraughts.

While attempting a take-off from an improvised runway at about 1800 Eastern Daylight-saving Time on 15 December 2011, an Auster Aircraft Ltd J5F (Auster), registered VH-AFT (AFT), failed to climb sufficiently to clear a fence in a paddock 1 km south of Tyabb aeroplane landing area (ALA), Victoria. The aircraft was seriously damaged when it came to rest inverted. The owner-pilot, the only occupant, received minor injuries.

The pressure perceived by the pilot to get the aircraft back to Tyabb may have led him to make the decision to take-off in less than ideal circumstances. An earlier successful forced landing may also have contributed to the accident in that it boosted the pilot's confidence in his ability to retrieve the aircraft from the paddock.

This accident highlights the need for pilots to be aware that pressure can come about for a variety of reasons, and of the importance of understanding one's personal limitations. By making decisions pre-flight, being mindful of pressures and by setting and sticking to personnel minimums, pilots can reduce the risk of being involved in an accident.

Prior to conducting any unusual operation, a pilot should carefully consider all options and seek the most accurate information available. Threat and error management (TEM) training has the potential to provide significant safety benefits to the general aviation (GA) community.

On 6 December 2011, a Rockwell International 114 (Commander), registered VH-SJF (SJF), made a planned refuelling stop at Meekatharra Aerodrome in Western Australia on a flight from Karratha to Perth. Immediately following the refuel, the pilot taxied for departure before an approaching storm cell arrived in the area.

Shortly after rotation at 0925 WST, the wind speed and direction changed suddenly, causing the aircraft to sink and drift off the runway. The pilot initially lowered the nose, but then raised the nose and applied power to clear a ditch and mound running parallel to the runway.

The pilot again lowered the nose, but as the aircraft was not developing sufficient lift to clear trees ahead, he cut the power and aimed for a gap in the trees. The left wing contacted a tree and spun the aircraft, causing serious damage. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, was uninjured.

Weather related issues accounted for 25% of local condition related safety factors identified in aviation investigations completed by the ATSB over the 2010-11 period.

An ATSB aviation research and analysis report published in 2010 found that private operations accounted for 44% of accidents in proportion to hours flown. Problems with a pilot's assessment and planning were evident in all of these accidents. The report recommended that private pilots make decisions pre-flight and that they set and stick to personnel minimums.

Wind direction and strength can change ahead of a storm cell. The Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, published in 2008 by the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA), described the impact of windshear, specifically a microburst, on an aircraft taking off. The description in the Handbook matches the sudden change in wind and aircraft performance characteristics reported by the pilot.

During the afternoon of 5 December 2011, an instructor and student were conducting emergency procedures training in the circuit at Moorabbin aerodrome, Victoria, in a Schweizer 269C-1 helicopter, registered VH-XTY. The flight was to include low-level autorotations to simulate an engine failure during the take-off and approach.

At about 1520 Eastern Daylight-saving Time, and at about 200 ft above ground level (AGL), the instructor initiated a practice engine failure after take-off. The exercise was to be conducted to a power termination.

The student entered autorotation and subsequently flared the helicopter to the instructor's satisfaction; however, the helicopter did not decelerate as expected. Realising that imminent ground contact would be excessive; the instructor took control, levelled the skids and attempted to arrest the descent. The helicopter impacted the ground heavily in a level attitude, moving forward and with the skids straight. The helicopter subsequently rolled onto its left side and was seriously damaged. The instructor received minor bruising and the student was uninjured.

While the reason for the accident could not be conclusively established, it is possible that low forward airspeed was a contributory factor.

As a result of this occurrence, the aircraft operator has advised the ATSB that they are reviewing their procedures for the conduct of low-level autorotations.

On 7 November 2011, the pilot of a Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta, registered VH-CME, was conducting cattle mustering operations on a station property about 93km north of Julia Creek, Queensland. The pilot was the sole occupant of the helicopter.

The pilot's task was to locate and muster cattle through a gate into the adjacent paddock.  Whilst manoeuvring the helicopter to land at about 5 ft above ground level, the helicopter's main rotor blade struck the ground. The pilot was not injured, however the helicopter was seriously damaged.

Mustering at low level has an inherent risk profile that requires a high level of awareness by the pilot. Mustering without any assistance from ground personnel, increases that level of risk.

On 29 September 2011, a Robinson Helicopter, R22 Beta II helicopter (R22), registered VH-RTB, was conducting aerial stock mustering operations about 43 km east-south-east of Maningrida, Northern Territory.

While guiding a herd of buffalo into the yarding area, at about 20 ft above ground level, the helicopter's tail rotor struck a tree. The helicopter landed heavily and sustained serious damage.

This accident not only highlights the challenging nature of aerial stock mustering operations, but also the benefits of utilising resources such as a ground support teams, when operating within the yarding area.

Preliminary report released 29 November 2011

On 1 October 2011, a Cheetah Sierra 200 aircraft, registered 24-7634, departed Taree Airport for the Old Bar Airstrip, New South Wales. On board were the pilot and a passenger. After arriving overhead the Old Bar Airstrip, the pilot conducted a left circuit followed by a touch-and-go landing on runway 17. The pilot then flew an additional circuit, from which a full-stop landing was planned.

On the second landing, the pilot estimated that he would not be able to stop before the end of the airstrip. As a result, the landing was aborted, and a go-around was commenced. During the initial climb phase of the go-around, the aircraft collided with a ferris wheel that was located to the south of the airstrip. The ferris wheel was part of a beach festival and, at the time of the collision, there were four people on the ferris wheel.

The aircraft and ferris wheel were damaged in the collision and the passenger and a person on the ground sustained minor injuries.

On 2 September 2011, a Howard Hughes Engineering Lightwing SP-2000 aircraft, registered 24-5040, was being operated on a private flight with the pilot and one passenger on-board. While operating to the north of Sydney Harbour, witnesses observed the aircraft descend and impact the water adjacent to the North Curl Curl shoreline. The aircraft was destroyed by the forces of the collision and one of the two occupants was fatally injured.

Recreational Aviation Australia (RA-Aus) is assisting the New South Wales Police Service with their investigation of this occurrence. Following recovery of the aircraft wreckage, RA-Aus officers requested assistance from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) in the recovery of data from some of the aircraft's electronic instrumentation systems and portable navigation devices. To facilitate this work, the ATSB initiated an investigation under the Transport Safety Investigation Act 2003.

In summary, four devices in total were examined by the ATSB. Raw data was successfully recovered from a portable GPS navigation unit and a fuel monitoring instrument, however ATSB analysis showed that neither data set contained usable information that was relevant to the accident flight. The data from both units was provided to RA-Aus on 26 October 2011 and the instrumentation returned on 2 April 2012.

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Released in accordance with section 25 of the Transport Safety Investigation Act 2003.

What happened

On 26 August 2011, the pilot of an MD Helicopter Inc. 369D helicopter, registered YJ‑HEL, was conducting sling load operations near a small village 183 km north‑north‑west of Port Vila, Vanuatu. As the helicopter approached the village, with two passengers onboard, witnesses heard a single, loud bang and watched the helicopter fall 10 to 15 m to the ground before coming to rest on its right side. One of the passengers received minor injuries and was able to exit the helicopter unaided. The other passenger received serious injuries, and the pilot was fatally injured.

What the ATSB found

The ATSB found that as the helicopter approached the village to land, the wire rope attached to the helicopter’s cargo hook contacted a tree. That contact resulted in the rope fouling on the main rotor blades, which in turn led to the detachment of segments of the rotor blades and the tail boom. This rendered the helicopter uncontrollable. It was also found that the occupants of the helicopter were not wearing the installed shoulder harness restraints or using flight helmets during the flight.

What has been done as a result

This investigation was conducted by the ATSB at the request of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vanuatu and no organisational or systemic issues that might adversely affect the future of aviation operations in Vanuatu were identified.

Safety message

The circumstances of this accident serve as a reminder that the severity of contact injuries in survivable helicopter accidents can be significantly reduced by the use of shoulder harnesses and protective flight helmets. As such, pilots and operators should consider the use of such equipment in the interest of enhancing survivability should an accident occur.