Commission investigating helicopter incident

THE PNG Accident Investigation Commission (AIC) is investigating an incident where a helicopter dropped its external load while conducting a sling airlift operation from Efogi, Central, to Port Moresby on March 19.
AIC chief commissioner Hubert Namani said the Bell 407 helicopter registered P2-HNG was operated by Heli Niugini Ltd.
Namani explained that the purpose of the flight operation was to airlift a Cessna 206 airplane that had been involved in an accident at Efogi on Feb 18.
He said the wings and propeller of the airplane wreckage were removed at Efogi and the aircraft was suspended by lines attached to the nose and tail section.
“While flying back to Port Moresby at 4,500 feet (1,371m), the C206 airplane accidentally detached and dropped into the jungle,” Namani said.
“The helicopter reportedly returned and landed safely at Jackson.”
In accordance with the provisions of Annex 13 to the convention on international civil aviation, the unintentional or, as an emergency measure, the intentional release of a slung load or any other load carried external to the aircraft is considered a serious incident, becoming an investigable occurrence for the AIC under the Civil Aviation Act 2000 (as amended).
“Information available to the AIC indicates that Heli Niugini Ltd notified the occurrence on the same day via email to Casa PNG,” Namani said.