Executive summary
On 29 October 1994 at about 1000 hours, Aerospatiale AS 350B ZK-HWV collided with a valley side during a local scenic flight, killing all seven occupants. While no cause was established positively, it is probable the aircraft was flown into cloud inadvertently. A safety issue which prompted a safety recommendation to the Civil Aviation Authority was the absence of standards to guide pilots in setting height margins beneath cloud.
Related Recommendations
He promote awareness to pilots and flight training organisations of the hazards associated with flying with only a small height margin beneath cloud, and of the parameters which may affect a safe height margin, by the development of educational material in his flight safety publications.
He require training and checking organisations to adopt height margins beneath cloud as a topic for flight checks, such as those carried out in accordance with CA Regulation 76, where it is relevant and appropriate to the operation involved.