Pilot, 27, killed in helicopter crash in Far North Queensland 9/10/2025

[red750]

A 27-year-old pilot has died in a helicopter crash in Far North Queensland.

Emergency services launched a search and rescue operation after the Robinson R22 helicopter failed to return to its homestead at Yagoona near Kowanyama at 7.30pm yesterday.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority Challenger Jet and Rescue 510 helicopter were deployed to search for the missing aircraft.

 

The helicopter was found at 8.30am today about seven kilometres south-east of Yagoona.

The pilot was the sole occupant of the aircraft and he has not been formally identified.

The Queensland Police forensic crash unit will prepare a report for the coroner.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau is also investigating.

 

[onetrack]

Wow, the Robbies are going down all too regularly, this year!

[turboplanner]

2 hours ago, onetrack said:

Wow, the Robbies are going down all too regularly, this year!

They do every year for all sorts of reasons; from pilots trying to teach themselves to fly, a lot from lack of maintenance, more from component failure following an earlier massive overload from unconventional flying, and plenty from unconventional flying to force a faster muster, particularly of wild cattle where they'll work a single beast around rock formations and trees, with rapid forward and reversing actions instead of just positioning themselves so the animal walks away. Then there's the reaction time required for autorotation if there's an engine or drive belt failure. In the R22 you have 1.5 to 2 seconds to act on the collective. In the past we've talked about reaction times as good as 20/100 second where a pilot has ingrained the action he is going to take on something like an EFATO by gettig it into his subconscious, so when there's a failure, the pilot's conscious state realised he's already taken the action that will save the aircraft vs not training yourself for action where initiation can take 3 or 4 seconds, and more if the pilot's first reaction is this shouldn't be happening, what do I do, was it stick back and left pedal or stick forward and right pedal etc. There's an ATSB report on R22 VH-DSD  fatal where the pilot radioed other mustering helicopters that his aircraft had stopped flying.

[BrendAn]

Can turbulence overload R22 rotor blades?

Yes, turbulence can overload the R22 rotor blades. The R22 helicopter is known for its teetering rotor system, which can be affected by extreme blade flapping during turbulence. This flapping can lead to a situation where the main rotor blade contacts the main rotor mast, resulting in a loss of rotor system separation from the helicopter. To prevent such an overload, it is crucial to avoid conditions that could lead to low G (load factor below 1.0) or abrupt control input, such as sudden cyclic pushovers. If turbulence is encountered, it is recommended to slow down the forward airspeed and make small control inputs. In extreme cases, a precautionary landing may be necessary. 

 

verticalreference.com

[BrendAn]

Just now, BrendAn said:

Can turbulence overload R22 rotor blades?

Yes, turbulence can overload the R22 rotor blades. The R22 helicopter is known for its teetering rotor system, which can be affected by extreme blade flapping during turbulence. This flapping can lead to a situation where the main rotor blade contacts the main rotor mast, resulting in a loss of rotor system separation from the helicopter. To prevent such an overload, it is crucial to avoid conditions that could lead to low G (load factor below 1.0) or abrupt control input, such as sudden cyclic pushovers. If turbulence is encountered, it is recommended to slow down the forward airspeed and make small control inputs. In extreme cases, a precautionary landing may be necessary. 

 

verticalreference.com

2 blade teeter systems do not like neg g.

[BrendAn]

How Dangerous Are R22 Helicopters?

The Robinson R22 helicopters are generally considered safe, especially when operated within their guidelines. However, they do require a high level of skill and experience from the pilot to handle the unique challenges they present. The helicopter's low inertia rotor system and the need for quick autorotation in case of engine failure are critical factors that make the R22 demanding to fly. Despite these challenges, the R22 is a popular choice for training and recreational flying due to its reliability and cost-effectiveness. 

 

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