ATSB release fatal chopper crash report

The fatal crash of a firefighting helicopter in the state’s north has sparked a series of safety advisories to operators of the Vietnam War-era UH-1H ‘Huey’ helicopter.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has handed down its report into the crash of a UH-1H ’Huey’ accident in northern Tasmania in 2022.

The fatal crash of a firefighting helicopter in the state’s north has sparked a series of safety advisories to operators of the Vietnam War-era UH-1H ‘Huey’ helicopter.

Pilot Andrew Kerr, 41, was killed when his helicopter crashed in a paddock while fighting a bushfire at Lebrina, near Launceston, on February 14, 2022.

An Australian Transport Safety Bureau investigation found the engine-to-transmission main KAflex drive shaft had partially failed,

“This initial failure resulted in the KAflex entering fail-safe mode, which allows for a short period of continued flight, but necessitates landing as soon as possible,” ATSB Director Transport Safety Stuart Macleod said.

The pilot dropped the water from the bucket under the helicopter and set course for clear ground, but the drive shafted then failed completely.

The report said as the helicopter approached the paddock, witnesses saw it rotate rapidly before pitching steeply nose-down and descending.

“The helicopter collided heavily with terrain in a tail low, upright orientation before coming to rest on its left side,” it noted.

“A post‑impact fire started in the engine bay, destroying the helicopter.”

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has handed down its report into the crash of a UH-1 Huey accident in northern Tasmania in 2022.

The ATSB noted that there was little time for the pilot to react to the failure.

“Following the loss of main rotor drive, the pilot was unable to complete a survivable autorotative descent and landing, probably due to a critical reduction in main rotor speed,” Mr Macleod said.

After the crash, the Tasmania Fire Service conducted an inter-agency exercise to test the response to a rescue incident in remote and isolated areas. and improved the notification procedures between it, Tasmania Police and the Ambulance Tasmania Air Rescue Aviation Unit.

During its investigation, the ATSB issued a safety advisory notice to all UH-1H operators, advising them of the details of the accident and check KAflex drive shafts, if fitted.

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority also released two updates to a previously released Airworthiness Bulletin about pre-flight inspection requirements for the KAflex drive shaft.

Mr Macleod said pilots needed to be aware of the need to land quickly after signs of such a failure.

“A rapid increase in vibration or noise from the transmission area — significantly the commencement of a distinct ‘howling’ or ‘shrieking’ – may signify the KAflex has entered fail-safe mode, and could imminently fail,” Mr Macleod said.

“Pilots should land as soon as possible on detection of such symptoms.”