The pilot landed the Robinson R22 helicopter at a cattle yard
during mustering operations to talk to the head stockman about some
operational matters. The helicopter was on the ground, with the
rotors being driven at ground idle, without the pilot at the
controls. After the discussion the pilot walked back to the
helicopter with a stockman to recommence mustering operations. The
pilot assumed that the stockman was following him to the front of
the helicopter, but the stockman walked into the tail rotor and
sustained injuries to his right arm. The helicopter was not damaged
as a result of the tail rotor strike.
The pilot reported that, on this occasion, he did not brief the
stockman about the hazardous areas around the helicopter, or the
procedures for boarding the helicopter. The stockman reported that
he had been briefed on several previous occasions about safety
around helicopters. The pilot held a copy of the Civil Aviation
Safety Authority's helicopter safety brochure on "Safety Around
Mustering Helicopters" and "Passenger Briefing".
The mustering operation was a private operation. The Station
Manager reported that there were no formal, documented standard
operating procedures for loading and unloading passengers, briefing
passengers on the hazardous areas around helicopters, or a pilot
familiarisation program to reinforce standard industry ground
safety practices. As a result of the occurrence, the Station
Manager has elected to develop and introduce standard operating
procedures related to passenger briefing and control around
helicopters.
As part of the regulatory reform process, the Civil Aviation
Safety Authority has produced a draft Advisory Circular AC 91-240
(0), which discusses the hazards from ground running of propulsion
engines, propellers and rotors. The proposed Civil Aviation Safety
Regulation (CASR) 91.245 prescribes safety procedures that must be
followed by the pilot of a single-pilot helicopter who has to leave
the control seat to conduct an approved fuelling operation, or to
check/secure loadings. The 'proposed new CASR Part 91 is expected
to be made by December 2003'.