SA:Bad weather not a factor in chopper crash

AAP General News (Australia)
08-23-2011
SA:Bad weather not a factor in chopper crash

By Tim Dornin

ADELAIDE, Aug 23 AAP - Bad weather was not a factor in the crash of a helicopter near
Lake Eyre last week which killed three experienced ABC television newsmen, a report has
found.

An initial Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) report released on Tuesday said
conditions were fine and clear in the area when the Aerospatiale Industries AS355 chopper
went down in South Australia's north on Thursday night.

Journalist Paul Lockyer, cameraman John Bean and their pilot Gary Ticehurst died in
the crash, which left a 60-metre wreckage trail in an area of the Cooper Creek, about
145km north of Marree.

A small memorial service was held near Lake Eyre for the trio soon after the crash
while the ABC said a more substantial service was planned for Bean in Brisbane on Monday.

It said the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre service would be open to the public.

The ATSB said last week's incident was the first fatal crash in Australia involving
an AS355 helicopter and the first since 1986 involving a twin-engined chopper.

The report said the wreckage trail indicated the aircraft was travelling east at the
time of impact and that much of the wreckage was damaged by a fire after the crash.

"The on-site examination is continuing and several components will be recovered from
the site for technical examination," the ATSB said.

"These include both engines, a number of components from the helicopter's flight control
system, some of the flight instruments and the helicopter's global positioning system
unit."

The four ATSB investigators sent to the site interviewed a number of witnesses and
will check the helicopter's maintenance and airworthiness records, its operational information,
records of the pilot's experience and his medical status.

The bureau said at the time of the crash there were 10 AS355 helicopters registered in Australia.

The ABC's chopper was built in 1988 and first registered in February 1989.

A further preliminary report on the cause of the crash will be released within 30 days.

The ATSB was also investigating the forced landing of a charter plane with six people
on board near Lake Eyre on Tuesday morning.

It said the plane suffered a loss of power at about 11.45am (CST).

No-one was injured, with a helicopter expected to retrieve the pilot and five passengers.

AAP tjd/was

KEYWORD: HELICOPTER WRAP (TAKES IN KEYWORD PLANE)

� 2011 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.