ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 245693
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| Date: | Tuesday 15 December 2020 |
| Time: | 12:42 |
| Type: |  Eurocopter EC 120B Colibri |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | ZK-HEK |
| MSN: | 1023 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 5 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Kekerengu River, Canterbury -
 New Zealand
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Rangiora |
| Kekerengu | |
| Investigating agency: | TAIC |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The pilot was using the EC 120B helicopter ZK-HEK to fly their family and a friend from Rangiora to Kekerengu north of Kaikoura for lunch at a café. Flying towards the beach, the helicopter suddenly started yawing left and descending. The helicopter crashed on the beach.
The two adults, including the pilot, were killed and the helicopter was destroyed. The three children were seriously or moderately injured but survived.
The weather was suitable for the flight with a moderate northeasterly onshore breeze blowing. The pilot had not landed at the café before and was conducting a reconnaissance of the intended landing area. The helicopter slowed as it was turned towards the beach and downwind for a second pass at low level. The slow airspeed combined with increasing power caused the helicopter to suddenly yaw uncontrolled to the left, very likely startling the pilot.
The rate of yaw increased, and the pilot was unable to regain control before the helicopter crashed onto the beach. The impact forces were determined to be non-survivable. However, the three children did survive, albeit with serious or moderate injuries, very likely because of their smaller physical size and mass.
The investigation determined that the pilot did not pick up on the visual indications about the performance of the helicopter, resulting in it slowing at a critical phase of the flight. The pilot’s inexperience was a key factor.
Sources:
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/123711856/two-dead-and-three-seriously-injured-after-helicopter-crashes-north-of-kaikura
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/432885/helicopter-crash-north-of-kaikoura-kills-two
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/123711856/two-dead-and-three-seriously-injured-after-helicopter-crashes-north-of-kaikura
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/helicopter-crash-north-of-kaikoura-two-people-killed-three-seriously-injured/UKZERTCTHLDM2ISDWQLCR4E7KY/
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dis7kbr5rP8/UsSzAz3s_5I/AAAAAAAAT_4/NxHk5rdCr-k/s1600/HEK+Garden+City+CH+02-01-14+Bargeld01+(2).jpg (photo)
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Location
Media:
New TAIC inquiry into helicopter accident at Kekerengu River mouth. Airbus Helicopter EC120 with 5 persons on board lost control, descended and impacted shallow water close to beach. Two persons reported as fatally injured, three seriously injured. https://t.co/IMSNSSaH6g pic.twitter.com/82vEuWL4wO
— NZ TAIC 🚢✈️🚞 (@NZTAIC) December 15, 2020
Images:
Ardmore 14Nov2016
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 15-Dec-2020 01:41 | Geno | Added |
| 15-Dec-2020 01:58 | Geno | Updated [Source] |
| 15-Dec-2020 04:20 | RobertMB | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Nature, Source] |
| 15-Dec-2020 06:19 | Aerossurance | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 15-Dec-2020 07:54 | Aerossurance | Updated [Embed code] |
| 16-Dec-2020 19:37 | Anon. | Updated [Embed code, Photo] |
| 01-Feb-2022 06:27 | Ron Averes | Updated [Location] |
| 18-Mar-2023 17:47 | harro | Updated [Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Embed code, Narrative, Category, Accident report] |
| 22-Sep-2023 19:57 | harro | Updated [Category] |
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