Accident Details
On March 2, 2013, at approximately 1320 UTC, a Hughes 369HS helicopter, registration N471M, impacted the Pacific Ocean after being struck by a commercial fishing vessel in international waters near Latangai Island, Papua New Guinea. The helicopter was operated by Jerry's Helicopter Service, Inc. under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Day, visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight originated from the vessel MV FK 869 at about 1220 UTC.
Occupants and Damage
The airline transport pilot sustained serious injuries, and the fish spotter (passenger) sustained fatal injuries. The helicopter's main rotor assembly and tail rotor assembly were substantially damaged.
Sequence of Events
The pilot reported that while flying, the fish spotter found a fish formation. The pilot observed a fishing vessel motoring nearby and circled over it, identifying it as the Pacific Ranger. The helicopter then circled over the fish formation. When the fish spotter located a fish aggregating device (FAD), the pilot approached and hovered at low altitude about 0.7 miles from the Pacific Ranger. The helicopter was positioned into the wind with the Pacific Ranger approaching from behind. As the fish spotter reached out to attach a radio buoy to the FAD, the helicopter shook violently and plunged into the ocean, coming to rest upside down.
Witness Accounts
The fish master of the Pacific Ranger, who was at the vessel's controls, reported seeing the helicopter on radar about 20 miles away. The helicopter approached, circled twice, and then flew out of the area. When the vessel was about 500 meters from the FAD, the fish master was slowing down when he observed the helicopter in front of them. The captain of the Pacific Ranger, on the helicopter deck, saw the helicopter circle twice and descend to a hover about five ship lengths in front, facing away. He saw the fish spotter climb onto the float and reach for the FAD. He then felt the fish master reverse the vessel, but they still impacted the helicopter's tail.
Data Analysis
A GPS recovered from the helicopter contained waypoints from the flight. Analysis showed that when the helicopter first flew in front of the Pacific Ranger, it was about 1.7 nautical miles (2.0 miles) from the FAD, and the vessel was about 1.9 nautical miles (2.3 miles) away. The helicopter continued toward the FAD, made one large circle and a smaller circle, then descended to a low hover. The GPS did not record time or speed.
Applicable Regulations
According to the FAA's Model Civil Aviation Regulations (MCARS) Version 2.7, Part 11 (Fish Spotting Operating Rules), "Each operator shall conduct operations so as not to endanger persons or property on the surface nor aircraft in flight." The U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Rules state that "every vessel shall at all times maintain a proper look-out by sight and hearing as well as by all available means appropriate in the prevailing circumstances and conditions so as to make a full appraisal of the situation and of the risk of collision."