[Investigated on behalf of the Government of Vanuatu. Direct any inquiries for copy of the report to the Minister of Transport of that State]
Incident date: Publish date:The pilot carried out two flights in her own hang glider before making a short flight, essentially an aborted auto-tow launch, in the accident glider. She had no difficulty gliding into the field from a height of some 40 or 50 feet. The second launch started normally but as the glider approached the usual top of climb point its nose up attitude increased by about 15, the tow rope parted, and the glider pitched up to a near vertical position.
Incident date: Publish date:The pilot flew a party of five tourists to land on the airstrip near the summit of Mt Tarawera. The approach and touchdown, in tail and crosswind conditions, was routine and an initial application of left brake gave no cause for concern. On the second application there was no response from the left brake and the aircraft began to drift to the right. The aircraft over ran the airstrip, went through some soft ground, and came to rest substantially damaged in a boulder strewn area of alpine scrub. The left mainwheel brake unit disc assembly had been weakened by corrosion and had failed.
Incident date: Publish date:At the conclusion of a brief local flight the pilot descended the helicopter over the Dart River. The helicopter collided with a pair of electric fence feeder wires, spanning a dry channel between the eastern bank and an adjacent island, and shortly afterwards struck the river bed. The pilot received fatal injuries but the passenger survived the accident.
Incident date: Publish date:The aircraft collided with trees immediately after taking off from a farm airstrip. The aircraft descended into a bush clad gully and caught fire. The pilot succeeded in vacating the cockpit but received extensive burns. He died in hospital 14 days after the accident.
Incident date: Publish date:The aircraft suffered an in-flight structural failure due to flutter of the tail surfaces originating at the elevator trim tab.
Incident date: Publish date:This report relates to the possible in-flight incapacitation of the pilot of Rotec Rally 3, microlight aircraft ZK-WAC near Warkworth on 14 April 1991. The safety issues discussed are the maintenance of a minimum fabric strength on microlight aircraft and measures for improving the monitoring of microlight pilots' fitness to fly.
Incident date: Publish date:During boarding in adverse weather conditions for a flight from Wellington to Tauranga, a passenger was pushed sideways by a wind gust as she approached the airstair. Attempting to regain her balance, she walked into a blade tip of the four bladed left propeller which had been feathered on shutdown and was stationary but had been partially rotated by the wind from the normal parked position. The passenger received a cut forehead which required 13 stitches. Safety recommendations were made to the Airport company and the Operator.
Incident date: Publish date:[Investigated on behalf of the Government of Western Samoa for the National Transportation Safety Board. Direct any inquiries for copy of the report to the Minister of Transport in Western Samoa]
Incident date: Publish date:While off loading a sling-load of bales of seaweed the pilot sensed a transient "buzz" from the tail rotor which disappeared with the application of yaw pedal. On the transit back to the pick up point at about 200 feet amsl and 60 knots IAS there was a brief, high frequency, vibration throughout the airframe followed by a loud noise. The helicopter's nose pitched down sharply. A witness on the beach saw the tail rotor separate and fall, apparently intact, to the sea.
Incident date: Publish date:[Investigated on behalf of the Government of Fiji. Direct any inquiries for copy of the report to the Minister of Transport of that State]
Incident date: Publish date:The purpose of the flight was to land a passenger and gear beside a mountain lake at an elevation of 5300 feet amsl. On short final approach the pilot found that on losing transitional lift the rotor rpm began to decay, and she was unable to arrest the sink. An attempt to make a controlled landing on lower, uneven, ground was unsuccessful. The left skid collapsed and the helicopter rolled over. Neither occupant was injured.
Incident date: Publish date: