16-Dec-2020
43 year old pilot injured in accident while involved in ag spraying work, after hitting wires and crashing on a steep hillside. Helicopter came to a halt further down the slope, but apparently still on its skids. Airlifted to Gisborne Hospital Registration has been assumed on the basis of this being the only R44 on the... Read more
15-Dec-2020
The helicopter’s main rotor blade struck electricity supply wires and then landed in a clearing. The pilot was uninjured. Power was disrupted to around 18 homes. Low level agricultural spray operations.... Read more
9-Dec-2019
Aircraft badly damaged by ash while parked on volcanic island during eruption. Main blades snapped under the weight of ash – photo... Read more
17-Feb-2019
The press release from investigators TAIC said “Something caused the pilot to conduct an emergency landing. [After jettisoning the water bucket,] The helicopter landed heavily and the sole pilot received moderate injuries. The nature of damage to the helicopter is yet to be established.” Pilot named in this report as Bill Reid of Reid Helicopters... Read more
2-May-2017
Sole occupant pilot Rick Lucas experienced tail rotor failure and helicopter started to spin so he elected to ditch it in the shallow waters of Porirua Harbour, N of Wellington... Read more
30-Oct-2016
The helicopter hit a pole and crashed at 4.30am whilst engaged in frost control operations due to the pilot being unable to see due to the canopy fogging up. The pilot was injured.... Read more
15-Apr-2016
Pilot made an emergency landing in a paddock for unknown reason. Inspection cover in firewall had not been closed during pre-flight checks and helicopter was consumed by fire. Sole occupant pilot got out OK without injury... Read more
21-Nov-2015
Crashed on a glacier and fell down a crevasse, killing pilot Mitch Gameren, two Australian tourists Sovannmony Leang and Josephine Gibson and four British tourists Nigel Charlton and his wife Cynthia, Andrew Virco and his partner Katharine Walker, head of radiotherapy at a major trauma centre. It is of particular note that the two visible main... Read more
12-Sep-2015
Landing accident and helicopter ended up on its side. Note that from the two links provided, the TVNZ link shows the helicopter at the accident location and The Press link shows it after being removed from there to a grassy area for recovery away from the site... Read more
27-Jun-2015
Crashed on take off, injuring the pilot Brad Maclachlan and two hunters he had just picked up... Read more
13-Mar-2015
Heilcopter struck wires crossing an 800m wide sea inlet known as French Pass between D’Urville Island and the mainland. Sole occupant pilot named as Ian John Simcox, 65, from Blenheim was killed... Read more
26-Feb-2015
“Landed in a tree”. Pilot was able to climb out of the helicopter and down from the tree to phone for help.... Read more
19-Feb-2015
Fatalities named in the press as Stephen Anthony Nicholson Combe, aged 42, of Wanaka, and James Louis Patterson Gardner, aged 18, of Queenstown... Read more
10-Feb-2015
Loss of power on climb out – cleared powerlines and put helicopter down heavily in a paddock. Helicopter had completed three short flights in the previous hour without incident. Pilot Bruce Belfield not injured, but passenger was hospitalized.... Read more
5-Feb-2015
Firefighting helicopter crashed while filling bucket in very shallow river. pilot Neal Andrews walked away unscathed... Read more
8-Nov-2014
Emergency field landing on a test flight, ending up with helicopter lying on its side. Pilot Peter Maloney was attended to on site, while co-pilot Herbert Idelon was taken to a local hospital as a precaution. Location was two miles north-east of their intended destination – their home base North Shore Airfield. See also interview... Read more
28-Oct-2014
Struck wires while spraying at low level, killing pilot Peter Robb... Read more
7-Oct-2014
Cause unknown. Helicopter went missing on flight from Karamea to Nelson and the wreckage was not found for a further four days. The deceased pilot was named as Damian Webster... Read more
16-Aug-2014
Heliski helicopter crashed on mountain. Boom detatched from cabin, which rolled further down the slope. 1 fatal (named as Jerome Box) of 7 on board – five skiers, their guide and the pilot. The other six all to hospital, none with life-threatening injuries... Read more
6-Jul-2014
Crashed on hunting expedition. Both occupants airlifted – pilot Grant McCallum with a broken leg and passenger Sam Kersten with serious back injuries... Read more
5-May-2014
Emergency field landing when transferring a patient from Ashburton Hospital to Christchurch Hospital when an indication warning light turned on. Representative from operator referred to it as a “heavy landing”. No injuries to 5 POB... Read more
19-Apr-2014
Heavy landing, 2 POB, one with slight injuries. Reported that it clipped a tree on final approach... Read more
11-Apr-2014
Darryl Condon, 51, and Neale Gray, 54 killed on flight returning back to base at Bruce Bay after maintenance at Wanaka... Read more
20-Mar-2014
Passenger killed in accident at forestry site with helicopter being used for delivering supplies and equipment from one site to another. Pilot has minor injuries. Fatality named as Donald Carlton Kain, 53, a forestry supervisor... Read more
20-Feb-2014
Crashed on training flight out of nearby Ardmore Airport... Read more
9-Jan-2014
Fell onto its side in landing on snow... Read more
15-Dec-2013
A Hughes 500 helicopter flying between the Greenstone Valley and Dumpling Hut crashed at Glade Burn in steep and rugged terrain in poor weather. Police confirmed that sole occupant pilot Bruce Andrews died in the accident... Read more
11-Dec-2013
Low level spraying accident. Helicopter burst into flames on impact. Pilot named as David Stanley Jones... Read more
14-Nov-2013
During a tea tree spray operation in a gully, helicopter turned into a wire, 20-30 ft. AGL. Pilot was aware of the wire. NZ occurrence ref 13/5709... Read more
1-Nov-2013
During 1080 drop, the loaded bucket had an un-commanded release. As the bucket fell away, one of the broken pneumatic control lines flicked up and struck both the helicopter and the pilot’s eye. A precautionary landing made and the wind screen was noted to be cracked. Pilot sustained a small cut to his right eye.... Read more
28-Oct-2013
Struck by landing helicopter ZK-IMJ and damaged.... Read more
28-Oct-2013
Pilot and 7 passengers injured when their helicopter crashed into parked AS350B2 ZK-HAE while landing in Mt Aspiring National Park. Pilot seriously injured... Read more
15-Oct-2013
During a frost protection exercise, the tail rotor struck grape vine cables. The aircraft was flown back to base and the post-flight inspection revealed damage was sustained by the tail rotor blades, stabilisers and the tail boom. ... Read more
13-Oct-2013
Lifting into a hover the pilot noticed the needles were at the bottom of the green range, and while more power was added, the pilot also applied pedal to face into wind. This resulted in a faster decay of power available, with the aircraft loosing height, then landing heavily and rolling over. The main rotor blades and tail... Read more
3-Oct-2013
While practicing pedal jams, during third exercise, nose yawed past centre and then got away from the student in control. The helicopter yawed left and rotated two times during which the engine went silent. Instructor took control and settled the helicopter in a hard landing from approximately 8ft. The helicopter’s tail struck ground and then... Read more
22-Aug-2013
Lighning strike, safe subsequent landing, but aircraft reportedly needs repair to the approx value of US$ 8 Million... Read more
23-Jun-2013
The helicopter’s tail rotor struck terrain/snow during a stock mustering operation. The pilot was unable to control the helicopter and while attempting to land the helicopter rolled over.... Read more
11-Jun-2013
Helicopter crashed beside the runway at Dairy Flat Airfield – skids collapsed but it otherwise stayed upright. Minor injuries to pilot... Read more
7-Jun-2013
Helicopter experienced an engine mechanical issue during a post maintenance ferry flight. An autorotation was conducted, with a heavy landing causing substantial damage – Tail boom cut but helicopter did end up on its skids. The pilot was uninjured.... Read more
30-May-2013
Destroyed in take-off accident on first solo flight... Read more
26-May-2013
Engine failure followed by autorotation, and resulting in moderate skid and tail boom damage.... Read more
7-May-2013
Technical issue forced pilot to ditch prototype 5-place turbine helicopter on a test flight into Auckland Harbour. Pilot named as company owner Peter Maloney, while the female passenger has not been named... Read more
2-May-2013
“Helicopter took off on its own and came down on its side”... Read more
10-Apr-2013
Helicopter was left unattended with the engine running. The helicopter became airborne, spun around, and struck the ground.... Read more
9-Apr-2013
Moved on its pad while the pilot was conducting checks after engine start, with the tail rotor striking and rupturing a container of AVGAS.... Read more
3-Apr-2013
Main rotor blades struck tail boom while running up on roof-top helipad. Incident blamed on freak wind gust... Read more
9-Mar-2013
Crashed on a ridge above the Oamaru Valley, east of Turangi, after dropping off a hunting party. The body of pilot Mark Didsbury was found 50m away from the helicopter... Read more
24-Feb-2013
Witnesses heard a loud bang before the R44 on a scenic tour made an emergency landing in the lake. Helicopter remained upright in less than 1m of water. All 4 POB exited safely... Read more
28-Jan-2013
Emergency landing after fuel indication dropped to zero with rotor speed warning. Apparent wiring issue... Read more
22-Jan-2013
Helicopter was flying up a valley and suddenly lost altitude due to a suspected downdraft. the helicopter hit the ground and rolled 6 times, breaking off the tail... Read more
21-Jan-2013
Helicopter experienced unusual vibrations while flying at 4500ft. Pilot decided to make a precautionary landing but the tail struck the ground during landing and helicopter rolled over.... Read more
11-Jan-2013
Main rotor blade struck the tail boom during start-up due to a wind gust. Significant damage was caused to the tail boom, with associated damage to the rotor blades.... Read more
8-Nov-2012
Experienced pilot killed in “perfect weather conditions” after reportedly “falling out of the sky”. Police stated that the pilot was Julian Dean Kramer (52), also known as Julianne Kramer – chief flying instructor at Wakatipu Aero Club. Helicopter may be ZK-HCG (1499)... Read more
28-Sep-2012
During a an orchard spraying operation, while pilot was concentrating on avoiding a line of tree, the tail rotor struck a wire. Tail rotor effectiveness was lost and the main rotors struck some trees. Helicopter rolled over... Read more
9-Aug-2012
Pilot had left the rotors to run down and departed the helicopter. “Blades seen to begin oscillating, striking the tail boom and the ground beside the helicopter”... Read more
20-Jul-2012
helicopter involved in agricultural work crashed. Pilot Marty Fry walked away from the accident... Read more
14-Jun-2012
Wire strike while involved in spraying operations at low level. Landed safely, although cut wire meant that 530 customers were without electricity... Read more
13-Jun-2012
Helicopter struck power lines during an agricultural spraying operation. The helicopter was damaged but a safe landing was made.... Read more
21-May-2012
It is believed the helicopter had been contracted by the Department of Conservation (DOC) to spray for gorse when it went down at the northern end of Lake Sumner. Helicopter and pilot missing – pilot named as  35-year-old Mike Mehrtens – company website here quotes him as a 3,500 hour pilot... Read more
30-Nov-2011
Went missing during fire fighting operations. Located some hours later in 7m of water. Bodies of pilot John “Prickles” de Ridder and passenger William MacRae from Dept of Conservation have been confirmed by divers as being inside the helicopter. Salt Air – Company statement here... Read more
23-Nov-2011
Main blades struck wire while helicopter was helping install Christmas Tree on Auckland waterfront. Helicopter split in two and thrashed itself to pieces from a 10m hover. Pilot Greg Gribble escaped serious injury. Event was being broadcast live on TVNZ... Read more
24-Sep-2011
Engine failure and safe emergency landing made in remote area; Emergency locator beacon activated; 2 POB found safe and uninjured... Read more
16-Jul-2011
helicopter rolled and caught fire after it landed heavily... Read more
20-Jun-2011
Instructor and CPL student on board... Read more
27-Apr-2011
Instructor Graham Alan Stott, 31, and student Marcus Hoogvliet, 21, were on a training flight when their R22 went down on the Arawhata Saddle, at the head of the Matukituki River... Read more
18-Apr-2011
Three POB all reportedly retrieved by a rescue helicopter. No details yet on level of damage to the R44... Read more
6-Apr-2011
Pilot died – later named as Adrian James Mayberry, 59, of Christchurch. The passenger was seriously injured... Read more
31-Mar-2011
A Defence Force source said the helicopter, which was en route from Ohakea to Woodburn, was carrying a spare engine for another Iroquois, which began to leak oil – the the resultant fumes cause the need for an emergency landing... Read more
8-Mar-2011
Crashed in a clearing close to a second R22 which was carrying out a deer recovery operation. Subject helicopter was observing, initally from 15m up, just prior to it coming down. Pilot aged 64 OK, passenger aged 55 needed medical treatment. Both from Warkworth, north of Auckland... Read more
28-Feb-2011
Helicopter crashed on the beach, ending up on its side with boom separated. Sole occupant pilot was seriously injured, pulled from the wreckage by a passer-by and flown to Palmerston North Hospital. Pilot name reported as Jim Sherwin, aged 60... Read more
20-Jan-2011
Pilot was Scott Finlayson, rescued safely and briefly hospitalised.... Read more
17-Nov-2010
He has taken off, reached a height of three storeys and the engine has cut out. He landed on the skids and suffered back injuries.... Read more
14-Oct-2010
Instructor Jason Wright, 29, of Bluff, and his pupil Allan Munro, 67, of Avondale, 75km north of Invercargill, were found with the submerged but intact Robinson 22 2km southeast of Colyers Island inside the harbour, ending a 24 hour search.... Read more
5-Oct-2010
Pilot believed he had a mechanical failure and tried and pick a spot to land for an emergency landing... Read more
