‘Helicopter crashes cost $10M in 5 years'

Press, 18 March 1982, Page 14

‘Helicopter crashes cost $10M in 5 years'

PA Wellington Helicopter crashes cost New Zealand more than $lO million in overseas funds in the five years until 1980, according to the Ministry of Transport's “Flight Safety" magazine.

This was the amount of money spent on replacement helicopters and spare parts after 206 helicopter crashes in the five years from 1976 until 1980.

Thirteen people were killed and 36 seriously injured in the 206 crashes, which resulted in 66 helicopters destroyed and 130 substantially damaged.

Helicopters involved in work such as game recovery and other than agricultural work had an accident rate of

7.6 in 1976 per 10,000 hours in the air. The rate in 1980 was 18.6.

“Flight Safety" described the record as extremely bad. It said the industry must face up to its responsibilities in accident prevention. The record not only reflected badly on the role of the helicopter in industry, but brought into question its economic viability.

"In order to dispel such doubts and prove that the aircraft is vital to the natural economy, the industry must face up to its responsibilities and maintain a concerted programme of accident prevention." the magazine said. The predominant factor causing accidents was in-

flight structural, mechanical, or power failure, accounting for 28, per cent of crashes. Wire strikes during flight accounted for 11.7 per cent.

The magazine said that in the case of 26 technically related accidents In deer recovery. half were with engine accessories or transmission problems. “Most, if not all, mechanical engine failures occurring during deer recovery result in further aircraft damage during the subsequent forced landings," the magazine said. It was recognised in game recovery that there were more ' frequent violent manoeuvres, power changes, and control applications. Wind effect and turbulence were also relevant factors, the report said.