| Occurrence Briefs are concise reports that detail the facts surrounding a transport safety occurrence, as received in the initial notification and any follow-up enquiries. They provide an opportunity to share safety messages in the absence of an investigation. |
What happened
On 16 August 2020, at about 2145 Central Standard Time, a Bell 412 helicopter was conducting a medical retrieval from a farm in Lower Light, South Australia. The helicopter was to land at an unprepared helicopter landing site in an open paddock to the east of the house. As the approach was being conducted in near dark night conditions (8 per cent celestial illumination), the crew of the helicopter were in contact with the Country Fire Service (CFS) crew including a helicopter landing officer, who were at the site identifying any potential obstacles. The CFS crew identified wires running alongside the road next to the paddock, but no wires were observed in the paddock.
The helicopter crew were using night vision goggles and searchlights to assist with visibility. Additionally, the CFS vehicles illuminated the landing spot. The pilot conducted two orbits of the area to allow the crew to identify possible obstacles around the landing site. The crew did not detect any obstacles and the pilot commenced descent. Passing approximately 50 ft above ground level, the pilot identified a single-wire earth return (SWER) wire running perpendicular to the approach path. After identifying the wire, the pilot announced ‘wires’ and conducted a right turn, subsequent approach and entered a hover to clear any obstacles. The crew used an appropriate approach profile that allowed an effective go-around procedure to be conducted.
Upon landing, it was identified the CFS crew had inadvertently set their vehicles and the lights directly below the SWER line. The power poles were obscured in trees and located approximately 350 m from the paddock’s border.
Safety action
As a result of this occurrence, the operator has advised the ATSB that they have taken the following safety actions:
- Highlighted the incident to company aircrew, noting the wire was detected on short finals at a profile that allowed for evasive action to take place.
- Highlighted to company aircrew that any helicopter landing site advice provided by external agencies is to be considered as ‘for information only’.
- Reviewed the crew flight safety training video and recency requirements for helicopter landing officers.
Safety message
Wires are difficult to sight and often in the most unexpected places in rural areas. The ATSB research report Avoidable Accidents No. 1 – Low level flying (AR-2009-041) provides information on wire hazards associated with flight below 500 ft.
Although extensive obstacle identification had taken place by both the crew of the helicopter and the CFS crew on the ground, this wire was unable to be sighted until the helicopter was on final approach. This occurrence highlights the importance of maintaining an awareness and lookout for powerlines during low-level operations. Property owners are also reminded that they can contact power companies to have wires marked if they present a hazard to low-level operations.
About this report
Decisions regarding whether to conduct an investigation, and the scope of an investigation, are based on many factors, including the level of safety benefit likely to be obtained from an investigation. For this occurrence, no investigation has been conducted and the ATSB did not verify the accuracy of the information. A brief description has been written using information supplied in the notification and any follow-up information in order to produce a short summary report, and allow for greater industry awareness of potential safety issues and possible safety actions.