Heli crash - Auckland Islands

[cowpatz]

Great to see a positive outcome for this event.

What I'm curious about is why there is no comment on what caused the crash (or controlled water landing). Given they all survived I am surprised that a more detailed account is not available.
Not even anyone from the media has asked the question.

With the Kawasaki 117 being a reliable twin engine machine I can only think of fuel exhaustion or poor weather (disorientation?) as possible reasons.

[deeknow]

Yeah I guess you saw the coverage on TV the other night? Seemed like their only recollection was of suddenly being upside down in the water?
I assume there is some sort of CAA investigation going on?

[cowpatz]

No I didn't see that.
It was a fair distance out there and I guess without a radio altimeter or QNH reference source the height of the heli could have been quite different to what was reading on the altimeter,
Mix in a bit of poor vis maybe. Pure speculation on my part and only out of interest and not apportioning any blame.

[chopper_nut]

Could be a whole heap of things. The 117 has more or less the same fuel system as the 105 and I've had a dual fuel pump failure which means that you can't transfer fuel to the supply tank so that's a possibility. Could be simply fuel contamination or a drive failure. Just wait and see I guess.

[jpreou]

I love helicopters but never had the opportunity to pursue any kind of career with them (long and boring life story).
If I won Lotto today I'd go train (difficult, I don't buy tickets!).
I once read a book, might even still have it somewhere, called "Fatal Traps for Helicopter Pilots" (or some title like that) - there's a lot that can go wrong! Not that it would stop me...

[NZ255]

Wonder if it was luck, or the cause of the problem, that they were so close to the island.

Glad they made it

[chopper_nut]

The word is that they were landing on the island at night on NVGs so that may have something to do with it too.... lots of traps when using those things.

[Fozzer]

The word is that they were landing on the island at night on NVGs so that may have something to do with it too.... lots of traps when using those things.

Interesting!
Night Vision Goggles...>>>

https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news ... elo-pilots

Seeing in the dark!

Paul...(mostly in the dark).... ...!