ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 139230
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| Date: | Sunday 2 October 2011 |
| Time: | 12:30 LT |
| Type: |  Robinson R44 Raven |
| Owner/operator: | Western Pacific Helicopters Ltd |
| Registration: | ZK-HLL |
| MSN: | 1081 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2001 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | 287km southwest of Tokelau Islands -
 Pacific Ocean
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Survey |
| Departure airport: | Tuna boat |
| Tuna boat | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities |
The helicopter was being used as an observation platform for a tuna fishing operation.
Whilst returning to the vessel having reported governor problems, the helicopter descended towards the sea, for an apparent intended ditching, impacting on the surface and rapidly sank less than 0.5nm from tuna boat.
The pilot was recovered unconscious and died. He had received a head injury. The passenger was rescued (it was his 4th ditching!).
It was not possible to confirm a governor fault though NZCAA note that card icing was a possibility.
The R44 was equipped with emergency floats. These were not deployed. Due to ZK-HLL being unrecoverable, it was not possible to establish whether the pilot had armed or attempted to activate the floats.
The operator did not hold any form of organisation certification, such as an Air Operators Certificate (AOC) that would authorise the carriage of passengers for hire or reward. The practise of fish spotting by aircraft in New Zealand waters is not specifically identified as requiring an AOC (unless the operation involves carriage of a passenger and it is done for hire or reward).
The pilot was not properly licenced for the operation being conducted. Location 155 NM (287 KM) southwest of Tokelau.
Sources:
1. https://nz.news.yahoo.com/caa-investigates-chopper-crash-off-samoa-10450091.html
2. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10758347
3. http://www.caa.govt.nz/Accidents_and_Incidents/Accident_Reports/ZK-HLL_Fatal.pdf NOT WORKING ANYMORE.
4. www.aviation.govt.nz/assets/publications/fatal-accident-reports/ZK-HLL_Fatal.pdf
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 14-Oct-2011 06:00 | RobertMB | Added |
| 14-Oct-2011 06:19 | RobertMB | Updated [Date, Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Total fatalities, Location, Country, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Damage, Narrative, Plane category, ] |
| 16-Aug-2014 11:14 | Aerossurance | Updated [Time, Location, Phase, Nature, Source, Damage, Narrative] |
| 11-Dec-2021 03:39 | Ron Averes | Updated [Operator, Location, Source, Narrative] |
| 11-Dec-2021 03:42 | Ron Averes | Updated [Source] |
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