Incident Overview
During a positioning flight from Blenheim to a lifting job in Raurimu, New Zealand, the pilot of a Bell UH1H helicopter, registration ZK-HSP, noticed fluctuating oil pressure on the Honeywell T53 engine while flying at approximately 2000 feet altitude. The pilot turned the aircraft toward the beach and selected a suitable precautionary landing site near the Hokio Beach settlement.
Sequence of Events
Before landing, the pilot observed the engine oil pressure indication drop to zero, accompanied by a loss of engine power. The helicopter subsequently landed hard and rolled onto its side.
Investigation
The New Zealand Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) is conducting the investigation. As the state of manufacture of the airplane and engines, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has designated a U.S. Accredited Representative under Annex 13 to the Convention on Civil Aviation to assist the New Zealand TAIC.
Contact Information
Further information may be obtained from:
- Transport Accident Investigation Commission
Chief Executive Officer 11 Cigna House, 40 Mercer Street P.O. Box 10-323, Wellington 6143, New Zealand Tel: (64) 4-473-0199 (24 hours), (64) 4-473-3112 Email: [email protected] Fax: (64) 4-499-1510 AFTN: NZHOYAYX Cable: CIVAIR NZ Website: http://www.taic.org.nz