26.12.2019/ 16:57 LT

Lihue, Kauai, HI, USA

  NTSB - Preliminary report

On December 26, 2019, about 1657 Hawaii standard time, an Airbus AS350 B2 helicopter, N985SA, was destroyed by impact forces and a postcrash fire when it collided with terrain about 24 miles northwest of Lihue, Hawaii. The commercial pilot and six passengers were fatally injured.

The helicopter was registered to SAF LTD and operated by Safari Aviation Inc., doing business as Safari Helicopters. Company flight following procedures were in effect for the visual flight rules flight, which departed Lihue Airport (PHLI), Lihue, Hawaii at 1631. The accident flight was the pilot's eighth and last scheduled 50-minute aerial tour flight of the day.

On December 27, about 0932, the accident site was located within the Koke'e State Park. The helicopter impacted tropical mountainous terrain on a north facing slope at an elevation of about 3,003 ft mean sea level (msl) and came to rest at an elevation of about 2,900 ft msl. All of the helicopter's major components were located within the debris field, and the wreckage was largely consumed by a postcrash fire.

A witness located about 1.5 to 1.75 miles up the Nualolo Trail within the Koke'e State Park near the time of the accident reported weather conditions of about 20 ft visibility in rain and fog. He heard what he described as a hovering helicopter followed by a high-pitched whine. Knowing something was wrong, he attempted to locate the helicopter but was unable due to the adverse weather conditions and fading daylight.

The victims were the members of a Swiss household believed to have been aboard the helicopter. They’re Sylvie Winteregg, 50; Christophe Winteregg, 49; Alice Winteregg, 13; and Agathe Winteregg, 10. Two different victims had been Amy Gannon, 47, and Jocelyn Gannon, 13. The pilot, 69-year-old Paul Matero was additionally killed.

Icy conditions during deadly
South Dakota plane crash

30.11.2019/ 12:33 p.m.
near Chamberlain Municipal Airport (9V9),

Brule County, SD - United States of America

The National Transportation Safety Board issued its preliminary report Tuesday for its investigation of the Nov. 30, 2019, crash of a Pilatus PC12 (N56KJ) in Chamberlain, South Dakota, which killed the pilot and eight passengers and injured three others.
The airplane was registered to Conrad & Bischoff, Inc., and operated by the pilot as a personal flight from Chamberlain Municipal Airport destined for Idaho Falls Regional Airport, Idaho.
Those killed were Jim Hansen Sr.; his sons, Jim Jr. and Kirk Hansen; Kirk Hansen’s children Stockton and Logan; Kirk Hansen’s sons-in-law, Kyle Naylor and Tyson Dennert; and Jim Hansen Jr.’s son Jake and grandson Houston were killed. Kirk’s son Josh, Jim Jr.’s son Matt and Jim Jr.’s son-in-law, Thomas Long, survived and were in stable condition Monday. Family representative Jeff Walbom called the crash a “total tragedy” and described how their loss rippled through their Idaho community, from church to their businesses.

According to preliminary data recovered from the data recorder installed on the airplane, the accident takeoff began from runway 31 about 12:31 p.m. central standard time. The airplane immediately rolled about 10 degrees to the left after takeoff. The roll decreased to about five degrees left as the airplane climbed through about 170 feet above ground level and then reversed to about five degrees right. The airplane ultimately entered a 64-degree left bank as the airplane reached its peak altitude of 460 feet above the ground. The cockpit stall warning and stick shaker became active about one second after liftoff and the stick pusher became active about 15 seconds after liftoff. They continued intermittently for the duration of the flight. The data recording ended about 12:33 p.m.
No radio communications were received from the pilot, and radar contact was never established. The recorder also captured cockpit sound.
Weather at the time was recorded as being overcast with clouds at 500 feet, 1/2-mile visibility in moderate snow, with wind from the direction of 20 degrees at 6 knots. The temperature and dew point were both 1 degree Celsius, and the altimeter setting was 29.30 inches of mercury. Freezing rain and snow were observed in the vicinity of the airport the previous afternoon and overnight before the accident flight, which was operated on an instrument flight rules flight plan.
Witnesses reported that the pilot and a passenger worked for three hours to remove the snow and ice from the airplane before the accident flight. The witnesses reported that visibility was limited by snow at the time of the accident.
Another factor that could have contributed to the crash was a possible load imbalance. The Pilatus PC-12 pilot's information manual notes the "maximum number of occupants is 9 passengers" plus 1-2 pilot(s). According to the NTSB report, there were 12 people on the plane.
The accident site was located at 1:57 p.m. approximately three-fourths of a mile west of the airport in a dormant corn field. The debris path was approximately 85 feet long and was oriented on a 179-degree heading.
 

S Korean helicopter crashed into sea

near disputed islets, 7 killed

31.10.2019/ 23:30 LT

East Sea, near Dokdo Island

The H225 (EC 225LP) helicopter (registered HL9619) with seven people aboard crashed into the sea near Dokdo shortly after takeoff from a helipad near the lighthouse atop one island. The aircraft departed at 23:26 local time having picked up an injured crab fisherman (a severed thumb). On board were two pilots, three fire department responders, the patient and a friend. Divers found the wreckage 600 m offshore at 72 m depth. Five bodies and some wreckage has been recovered.

17.10.2019/ 17:40 LT - One dead in Unalaska plane crash

Afghanistan Mi-17 helicopter crashes in Balkh province, killing 7
 

15.10.2019/ 5:30p.m (13:00 GMT)
Hairatan area in Mazar, capital of Balkh province, Afghanistan

 
An Afghan military Mi-17 crashed on Tuesday evening in the Hairatan area of Balkh province with seven people on board. The helicopter belonged to the 777 Army Special Forces and was engaged in a practice flight when it crashed due to technical issues. All 7 people on board were killed.
The Mi-17 is a medium twin-turbine multipurpose transport helicopter and is the primary rotary wing platform operated by the Afghan Air Force. It has a crew of three as well as door gunners, and can carry up to 36 troops or 12 stretchers or 18 walking patients. Rosboronexport says its range without external fuel tanks is 675 km (420 miles), its service ceiling is 6,000 m (19,700 ft), and its maximum payload weight is 4,000 kg (8,800 lb). According to a January 2018 report by the U.S. Department of Defense Inspector General, Afghan Mi-17s can carry 24 passengers and have a cargo capacity of 6,620 pounds (3,000 kg).

01.09.2019/ 15:10H (07:10UTC) -

9 bodies retrieved from Calamba crash site