My Friend Bruce Crashed his Safari in N.Z. just heard about it on that other Forum.

Bruce is a damn good Pilot, as you may remember, he is the one the Test flew my Commuter H-1B at Sun-N-Fun 2012.
Will let ya'll know if I learn more about it.


http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/ar...ectid=11399493

The link doesn't work for me.
Sad news. I hope he survived. Safaris are developing more and more of a bad reputation.
Even a best pilot can get caught off guard when transitioning in the dead man's curve.
I don't care how good you are when physics are against you.
Let's hope he is alright.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/artic ... d=11399493



Natalie Akoorie
Natalie Akoorie is a reporter at the NZ Herald based in Hamilton.
Chopper crashes south of Hamilton
12:00 PM Tuesday Feb 10, 2015

The Safari 400 helicopter crashed with the pilot and one passenger on board. Photo / Christine Cornege The Safari 400 helicopter crashed with the pilot and one passenger on board. Photo / Christine Cornege

A helicopter has crashed at speed into a paddock near Te Awamutu, injuring a passenger.

The pilot of the privately owned Safari 400 had been joyriding with a friend when the engine began "over speeding", police said.

Te Awamutu constable Ryan Fleming said the helicopter had just cleared power lines and was 10 metres high when the engine malfunctioned.

"He's realised straight away he was in trouble and he's tried to auto rotate which is land the chopper when there's no power but there was too much forward air speed and they were coming in too quick."

Witness Grant Organ said the helicopter bounced before coming to a stop.
Smoke began pouring out and he raced over to the scene from the Mangapiko Hall where he had been working about 10.25am.

"The young boy crawled out screaming, 'My back, my back'. Then he just flopped down."
Mr Organ said the pilot, in his 50s, who is understood to build helicopters, walked away unscathed from the crash.

A second witness, painter Chris Campbell, called emergency services and the injured man, thought to be in his late teens or early 20s, was taken by ambulance to Waikato Hospital with moderate injuries.

The pilot also went to hospital.

Mr Fleming said it was too early to say what caused the crash and Civil Aviation would now determine whether to investigate.

Damn.

.

Did anyone else see the report that said his tail rotor hit a bush with a steel post in it ??

.

the one that hit the post was ZK-ISH


here is a pic of Bruces helicopter before the crash. ZK-HXJ. also found pics of the crash.

here is the link to Bruces Company.

http://www.safarinz.com/index.php/galle ... 09-hunting

Sounds like an uncoupled drive line, Sucks engine over speed and no power to the rotor system.....

God speed and time will heal the injuries

Roger that Hillbilly, a shame the machine got mangled, but great news Bruce is ok..... whew!

I wonder where the tree with the post in it is? The wreckage appears to be in the middle of a paddock?

Edit: No fire is a great outcome.... I like how the gas tanks are set up on those

the one that hit a post was NOT this one. that referance came from another crash listed on the other Forum.

scroll up and you will see the diffearnt reg. numbers.