Inexperience ‘key factor’ in crash
Pilot Andrew Davidson had his pilot’s licence for less than a year before the crash that killed him and his wife, and left their two school-aged children orphaned.
Pilot inexperience was a key factor in a helicopter crash that killed two parents and seriously injured their two children and another child, investigators have found.
Pilot Andrew Davidson, 60, and wife Lin Chen were killed when their EC120 helicopter spiralled out of control and crashed into the beach at Kekerengu river mouth, north of Kaikō ura, on December 15, 2020.
Their two children, along with a school friend, were seriously injured in the crash. They were aged 12, 11 and 5.
The Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) released its findings into the crash yesterday.
The report found Davidson had obtained his private helicopter pilot licence on March 5, 2020, nine months before the crash . Davidson had flown a total of 170 hours, including 32 hours in the helicopter that crashed.
‘‘The pilot was therefore deemed legally able to fly the helicopter but was still in the early stages of gaining experience’’, the report says.
The helicopter was approaching to land on a grassed area near the beach-side cafe´ at Kekerengu. It slowed as it turned towards the beach and headed downwind for a low-level pass to inspect the intended landing area. It yawed – or twisted – suddenly, then descended with an uncontrolled increasing rate of yaw, and was destroyed when it crashed onto the beach. Impact forces far exceeded the recommended level of crash protection for aircraft, the report said.
The children survived largely because they were smaller and lighter than the adults.
TAIC’s chief investigator of accidents, Naveen Kozhuppakalam, said the accident happened at a critical phase of flight for any helicopter – the transition from cruise to hover.
‘‘In helicopter flight, the main rotor blades go one way, so the fuselage wants to go the other. Pilots use the tail rotor to control which way the helicopter points – the slower the airspeed, the more the pilot needs to adjust the tail rotor.’’ It was likely Davidson was focusing more on the landing site and preparing for landing, than on controlling the tail rotor, Kozhuppakalam said.
Davidson was a newlyqualified private pilot and his experience level was the key factor in his inability to regain control after being startled by the sudden yaw, he said.
‘‘Typically, experienced pilots instinctively anticipate the need to prevent yaw, while less experienced pilots tend to anticipate less, react more, and they need to work harder on the pedals to keep the helicopter on the right heading.
‘‘It may seem obvious but it bears repeating; the number one priority for all pilots when flying is to fly the aircraft. A pilot qualification, licence or aircrafttype rating does not in itself confer expertise.’’
Pilots needed to be familiar with the aircraft they were flying and their own capability, as well as the increased risks of flying at low level, he said.
The commission identified no new sector-wide safety issues, so the final report made no new recommendations.