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• August 9, 2016 Create Date
• August 9, 2016 Last Updated

Wirestrike and Collision with Terrain Involving Robinson R22

On the morning of 20 February 2016, the pilot of a Robinson R22 helicopter, registered VH-LYW,
was conducting aerial cattle mustering operations on a property about 88 km northeast of Roma,
Queensland.

The pilot had mustered in that paddock several times previously, and was aware of a set of high
voltage transmission wires that had been erected across the property in the previous 12 months.

Prior to commencing mustering, the pilot overflew the paddock, sighted the powerlines and formed
a plan to muster the cattle from north to south, giving due consideration to the wires running east-
west. The pilot then mustered the mob from north to south, and the helicopter remained above the
wires during that time.

The pilot then saw two bullocks hidden in scrub, near a dam that was situated near to and just
south of the powerlines, and returned to muster them up. The helicopter then descended below
the level of the wires. The cattle would not turn back, so the pilot radioed a musterer on horseback
to assist. The pilot turned the helicopter to leave the area as the horse and rider arrived. The pilot
then saw another vegetated area near the dam, where cattle may be hidden from view, and flew
the helicopter towards it.

While the pilot’s focus was on searching for cattle in the scrub below, the helicopter neared the
powerlines. The pilot’s attention suddenly returned to the wires, and sighting them close in front at
the same level, immediately commenced a near-vertical climb to try to avoid them. As the
helicopter climbed, the pilot assessed that it was not going to clear the earth wire, and lowered the
nose of the helicopter in an attempt to pass below the earth wire and above the other wires. The
tail rotor blade struck the earth wire.

The helicopter was vibrating and the pilot turned it away from the wires. The tail rotor then failed
and the helicopter yawed around. The helicopter descended rapidly and continued to rotate. The
pilot entered an autorotation, and closed the throttle, overriding the governor. As the helicopter
neared the ground, the low rotor revolutions per minute warning horn sounded, and the pilot
raised collective1 to try to cushion the landing. The helicopter collided with the ground nearly
upright, and sustained substantial damage (Figure 1). The pilot was seriously injured.