The Robinson R22 helicopter had been engaged in cattle mustering
operations on the day of the accident. Late in the afternoon the
pilot invited one of the stockmen to accompany him on a flight to a
nearby tourist resort to purchase bread for the stockcamp. They
arrived at Ross River Homestead resort at about 1700 CST and some
time later decided to remain overnight at the resort. Witnesses
reported that the pilot had consumed a quantity of alcohol during
the course of the evening.
At about 2345-2400 witnesses heard the helicopter engine start
and run for a period of time before the helicopter was seen to
take-off and depart in a north-easterly direction. It climbed
steeply to about 600 ft above ground level, after which the engine
noise appeared to change and the aircraft descended quickly until
impact with the terrain. Searchers found the wreckage soon after
first light the next morning on a flat area of land between hills,
approximately 800 m from the resort.
Witnesses reported that at the time of the accident there was no
wind. There was a high level cloud overcast and very dark
conditions. Examination of the astronomical ephemeris (a table of
the moon's position), confirmed that the moon did not rise until
approximately 3 hours after the accident. The helicopter was not
equipped for flight under the instrument flight rules.
The evidence showed that the helicopter impacted the terrain
banked to the right, in a nose-low attitude, and at high forward
and vertical speeds. Impact forces destroyed the forward right and
central cockpit area of the aircraft. The investigation could find
no evidence of pre-existing damage to any of the helicopter's
flight control systems. The type of damage to the main and tail
rotor blades indicated low power and low rotor RPM at impact.
Examination of the engine indicated that it was either at idle or a
very low power setting at impact. The investigation determined that
sufficient clean fuel of the correct grade was on board the
helicopter at the time to power the engine. No defect was
identified that may have influenced the circumstances of the
accident.
Due to the severity of the impact, the accident was not
survivable.