Accident Overview
On 27 March 2024, a Robinson Helicopter Company R22 Beta, registered VH-KNG, was used to perform rooftop rescues for residents of Adavale, Queensland, during large-scale flooding. After picking up a passenger from a rooftop, the pilot assessed during take-off that the helicopter did not have the required performance to continue flight and conducted a controlled ditching into the floodwaters.
Pilot Workload and Decision-Making
The pilot had significant aeronautical experience, including considerable recent experience flying the Robinson R22, but had never landed on a structure or conducted or trained for any type of rescue operation. The accident flight was their first attempt at a rescue operation, and it is likely that the pilot was under significant workload. The high degree of concentration required likely limited the pilot’s cognitive capacity to assess the weight or brief the passenger prior to take‑off. Similarly, the lack of full consideration for the aircraft’s performance limitations was likely due to the narrowed attentional focus on the immediate control demands required in the confined area.
Plan continuation bias was noted in the context of the pilot’s decision-making. As workload increased, the pilot remained committed to the original plan despite emerging cues of increased risk. The pilot was the only crew member on an ad hoc search and rescue mission, without training in specialised dynamic risk assessment procedures used by dedicated SAR operations. Their understanding that the passenger was in grave danger likely prevented them from considering disembarking the passenger as an alternative.
Helicopter Performance
After the rooftop landing and passenger loading, the pilot was unable to calculate the gross weight of the helicopter before take‑off. Their estimation of the passenger weight was likely hampered by the bulky raincoat worn by the passenger and the pilot’s focus on controlling the aircraft during an operation for which they were not specifically trained or experienced. Weight data supplied to the ATSB by the accident pilot and passenger, along with a calculation of the remaining fuel load, indicated that the helicopter was likely at least 46 kg over its maximum allowable take‑off weight (MTOW). Being significantly overweight, when the helicopter became airborne in ground effect over the building, there was no assurance that it could achieve the required performance needed to clear nearby obstacles during take‑off.
A power check could have been performed while still above the building, but the position of the helicopter on the roof was precarious with the passenger onboarding, and the pilot held concerns that the structure would not support the helicopter weight or last much longer in the floodwater, so this was not conducted.
Context of the Rescue Operation
The pilot received a phone call from the deputy local disaster coordinator informing them of the emergency in Adavale and requesting urgent assistance. The CEO of Channel Country H (truncated in source) was involved in the coordination. The helicopter was used in an ad hoc rescue capacity without formal search-and-rescue training or support.