Chopper crash due to fuel problems

Main Stories, National
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The National, Thursday 02nd August, 2012

By JAYNE SAFIHAO
THE Hevilift helicopter that went down last month in Gulf province, claiming the lives of its pilots and an engineer on board, had experienced fuel and engineering problems, a preliminary report into the crash revealed.
According to an Accident Investigation Commission (AIC) report released yesterday by chief executive officer David Inau, the aircraft had experienced fuel problems earlier and was grounded by the pilot in command.
Three men who died were Australian pilot Russel Aitken, 42; co-pilot Anthony Annan, 53, a New Zealander and Australian aircraft maintenance engineer Emmet Flynn, 36.
The report said another aircraft had arrived at the Triceratops Rig Site from Mt Hagen with an engineer and spare parts to assist with engineering problems.
“The aircraft was inspected and the spare components fitted to the aircraft. Later the pilot did a test run on the engine for a considerable period of time before reportedly conducting two short circuits of the rig site,” the report states.
“There were no malfunctions with the aircraft or apparent problems associated with the rectification work during the estimated 45-60 minutes of ground and airborne running time at the rig site.”
On July 6, at about 3.20pm, the aircraft departed the rig site to Hau Creek where the pilot planned to refuel before returning to Mt Hagen.
The report said that weather conditions at that time were ‘marginal for VFR (visual flight rules) flying with low clouds and areas of rain which posed no problem for a preceding aircraft that had earlier departed.
“At 1527 hours, the crew of an airborne Mil 8 helicopter, also from the same site, overheard a faint mayday call which was later identified to be a low main rotor RPM warning horn.”
The mayday call overheard on the local FM radio frequency was the last thing heard.
An aero-medical evacuation team, a downed aircraft recovery team, additional observers and Blackhawk helicopters sent by the Australian Defence Force, all combined, cut down the search and rescue and retrieving time.
Earlier reports saying that the chopper was flying in dangerous conditions were dispelled.
On July 13, reports of debris were found in a tributary of the Kikori River system which subsequently led to a ground party locating the wreckage.
“The wreckage was found 0.2 nautical miles north of the drill rig, at an elevation of approximately 110ft.”