|
|
Post by raymond on Feb 24, 2013 12:25:43 GMT 12
www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10867378A helicopter pilot and three passengers had a lucky escape after crash landing on Lake Rotorua this morning. Emergency Services were called to Lake Rotorua about 10.15am after reports the helicopter had struck difficulty. The female pilot from Volcanic Air Safaris was taking a scenic flight with a man and his two children. The pilot landed about 80m off the shore of Lake Rd, near the end of Bennetts Rd, Koutu, police spokeswoman Kim Perks said . When the pilot realised something was wrong, she turned the helicopter into shallow water on the lake to do a controlled landing, she said. A local who witnessed the crash landing waded out to help the pilot and passengers out of the aircraft. A boat in the area took the four people to Volcanic Air Safaris' base at the Rotorua Lakefront. Dorien Vroom from the helicopter company said nobody on board was injured. "Everybody's out at the moment having coffee." Ms Vroom did not know how high the chopper was before ending up in the lake or why it needed to make the emergency landing. Ms Perks said Civil Aviation Authority was securing the scene and investigating what went wrong. It is understood the helicopter will be winched out of the lake by another aircraft. Rotorua Fire Service senior station officer Colin Rolfe said it appeared the pilot did a fantastic job landing the helicopter safely. "It landed upright on its skids," he said. - APNZ
|
|
|
|
Post by ngatimozart on Feb 24, 2013 13:34:46 GMT 12
Was it a Robinson or a Squirrel? I have my prejudices ;D
|
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 24, 2013 13:41:06 GMT 12
Well done to the pilot. Those children will have a tale to tell their mates!
|
|
|
|
Post by kiwithrottlejockey on Feb 24, 2013 14:08:02 GMT 12
Was it a Robinson or a Squirrel? I have my prejudices ;D
For the record, I've done an hour of dual in a R22 Robinson.
And I've done a 1,000 foot bungy jump from a Squirrel. |
|
|
|
Post by 11SQNLDR on Feb 24, 2013 15:21:43 GMT 12
Sorry, probably just me but... Mrs Vroom ;D lol! Glad all are okay and by the sounds of things a great job by the pilot  |
|
|
|
Post by Brett on Feb 24, 2013 15:50:29 GMT 12
|
|
|
|
Post by Bruce on Feb 24, 2013 15:53:42 GMT 12
very well done!
|
|
|
|
Post by davel on Feb 24, 2013 16:33:43 GMT 12
Would appear to be a job well done by a fairly new low houred pilot.
However, the real question that should be asked is why this company (and many others in NZ) continue to operate single engine aircraft over water without floats. I know it is not a legal requirement (less than 10nm beyond autorotation distance etc) but surely they have an ethical obligation to fit floats when 90% of their business is conducting flights over water.
If this had happened on one of their White Island flights we would very likely be reading about 4 fatalities. It is just dumb luck that this happened when it did and in an area with shallow water. Having done helicopter underwater escape training I can tell you it is not something I want to experience for real, let alone with a load of untrained tourists on board too.
|
|
|
|
Post by ngatimozart on Feb 24, 2013 19:32:41 GMT 12
Was it a Robinson or a Squirrel? I have my prejudices ;D
For the record, I've done an hour of dual in a R22 Robinson.
And I've done a 1,000 foot bungy jump from a Squirrel.I remember when they first came out and they featured in the news for all the wrong reasons. Some prejudices I hold on too No to be fair after the early press I just don't like them. |
|
|
|
Post by Brett on Feb 25, 2013 8:00:18 GMT 12
Quick-thinking pilot's lake landing A helicopter pilot who managed to safely land her stricken craft in Lake Rotorua early yesterday has been praised by police and fellow pilots.
Four people, including Volcanic Air Safaris chief pilot Stephanie Puckrin, were pulled from Lake Rotorua after their craft, an Robinson R44 helicopter, made an emergency landing into the lake, 60 metres from the shoreline.
The incident happened just after 10am in Te Ruapeka Bay near the east end of Bennetts Rd.
Eyewitnesses say they heard a loud bang shortly after it took off. But Ms Puckrin landed the craft in a shallow area of the lake and managed to keep the craft upright.
Volcanic Air Safaris director Dorien Vroom declined to comment, saying the company would not speculate on the cause of the "precautionary landing".
Ms Vroom said Ms Puckrin had done "a fantastic job" landing the craft in the lake, and had been temporarily stood down.
"It's company procedure on a day like today. We've stood her down and let her go home."
The company's website says Ms Puckrin had clocked up 1450 flying hours and had been flying in the area for the past year and a half.
She also holds a B and D Cat instructor's rating.
St John northern communications team manager Norm Ngatai said a boat went to the helicopter's aid about 10.15am but found all on board were uninjured.
An ambulance was called to the scene but was not needed.
Rotorua police Senior Sergeant Malcolm Collins said officers had taken statements from those aboard the helicopter and interviewed eye witnesses.
The Civil Aviation Authority would now take over the investigation and examine the craft to determine any mechanical fault.
Ms Vroom said the company was also investigating the landing, describing it as "a low-stress incident".
Mr Collins said the helicopter was carrying three tourists when it landed.
He praised Ms Puckrin's quick thinking.
"She did a great job landing it and everyone walked away uninjured.
"It could have been a lot different if the helicopter had landed on its side. It was all split second stuff."
David Lealand, chief flying instructor at Heli-Hire, said the Robinson R44 was a reliable helicopter and declined to speculate on what may have caused the emergency landing.
All aircraft were subject to rigorous testing.
Mr Lealand said he had seen photos of the landing and praised the skill of Ms Puckrin.
"She's put the helicopter in the best part of the lake, the shallowest part. She's also managed to keep it upright so she's done very well. I take my hat off to her." From: www.stuff.co.nz/national/8345966/Quick-thinking-pilots-lake-landingAll of those people declining to speculate must have made the reporter job difficult. There also appears to be a complete lack of plummeting and passengers thinking they were going to die.
|
|
|
|
Post by davel on Feb 25, 2013 9:27:30 GMT 12
Except they managed to get the identity of the pilot wrong.. It wasn't Steph flying at all, it was another female pilot from VAS.
|
|
|
|
Post by hardyakka on Feb 25, 2013 13:40:02 GMT 12
Rotorua Daily Post photo  Getting it out might be a trick, but it looks like very little damage done. |
|
|
|
Post by Ykato on Feb 25, 2013 14:15:36 GMT 12
Lifted out by Lakeland Huey Late yesterday:
Video is from Tube Channel:Steveapp2004
|
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 25, 2013 15:11:15 GMT 12
I was hoping the Iroquois would let it go, like the age old 'car parked in the way' airshow gag. ;D
|
|
|
|
Post by Peter Lewis on Feb 25, 2013 20:57:34 GMT 12
The pilot landed
The correct term is 'alights', but 'splashed down' would be acceptable in this case.
|
|
|
|
Post by ErrolC on Feb 26, 2013 9:14:54 GMT 12
Lifted out by Lakeland Huey Late yesterday: Video is from Tube Channel:Steveapp2004 A reminder of how lucky most of us are: Jo works two desks away from me. We know she is Vietnamese/Chinese, and was a 'boat person' escapee/refugee when aged six. We make smart comments about not annoying her, or her VC 'mates' will get us, which she cheerfully plays along with. I opened up the above you tube, but paused it. We had been talking about the R44 incident earlier, so I said 'cool, there is video of a huey lifting that copter out of Lake Rotorua. I'd better wait for Jo to leave the room, or the whop-whop sound will traumatise her.' She responded 'It's ok, it took about six years, but the sound doesn't make me dive for the ground any more.' |
|
