Friday, November 18, 2011

Robinson R44, VH-RUR, Lilli Pilli, NSW: Accident occurred April 24, 2011



A pilot involved in a fatal helicopter crash off the NSW South Coast earlier this year was not qualified or equipped to fly at night, an investigation has found.

Helen Hansen, 70, was killed in April after a private helicopter piloted by her husband, Victor Hansen, 72, crashed into waters 50m from land near Lilli Pilli at night.

Mr Hansen was pulled from the water uninjured, but attempts to resuscitate his wife failed.

A report of an investigation into the crash, issued by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau yesterday, found Mr Hansen should not have been flying at night.

The couple regularly flew between their farm near Berry to their holiday home on the South Coast.

But on the day of the crash, the bureau found Mr Hansen had failed to leave enough time to arrive in daylight, leaving him in conditions for which ''he was not qualified, and the helicopter was not equipped''.

Arriving in darkness and facing bad weather, Mr Hansen decided to land at a private site at Malua Bay.

''The initiation of a diversion by the pilot to a more distant location, instead of conducting a precautionary landing shortly before the end of daylight, constrained him to flying in conditions for which he was not qualified, and the helicopter was not equipped,'' the investigation found.

''The pilot reported that, on approach to the [landing site] from the north, he descended to what he believed to be 100 feet [30.5m], and approached the landing site at a reduced airspeed,

''The approach was conducted over water and in darkness.''

But the investigation found he had misjudged his distance and the helicopter plunged into the water.

It found that no lifejackets were stored on the helicopter. 

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