What: Maritime New Zealand Robinson R22 helicopter on a training mission
Where: Awarua, Southland New Zealand
When: October 14, 2010
Who: instructor and another pilot
Why: After the last communication at 1:30 pm, at 2:15 a Robinson R22 was declared overdue.
A search is underway utilizing three helicopters over a 1250 square kilometre area east of Bluff, including the Coastguard air patrol and Coastguard.
Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Henry Jr Godding
What: Quebec television network TVA Robinson R44 Raven II Traffic helicopter
Where: Montreal, Quebec west of the Victoria Bridge, in the city’s south end 700 metres from Mel’s Studios, which has a helicopter landing strip
When: DEC 16, 2009 7:30 am
Who: pilot Antoine Léger and passenger journalist Réjean Léveillé
Why: TV network helicopter experienced engine problems and mechanical failure over a vacant lot, and crashed while attempting an emergency landing.
The helicopter had been refurbished; and the pilot has 12 years of flying experience.
There was no fire.
The pilot was able to exit on his own; he and the passenger suffered multiple fractures and were taken to Montreal General Hospital.
Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Sebastian Lukasiewicz
What: Onur Air Airbus A321-200 en route from Manchester to Cyprus
Where: Germany
When: Aug 20 2011
Why: The airbus was a source of concern when it lost communication for a quarter of an hour while over Germany, during which time a sonic boom was heard.
The two fighter jet “escorts” were the probable source of the sonic boom which disturbed residents’ peace of mind.
Communications were restored and the flight continued to Cyprus as scheduled.
Mount Cook Airlines flight NZ-5075 had to divert and make an emergency landing in Palmerston North, New Zealand, on April 9th.
The plane heading from Auckland to Nelson, New Zealand, was diverted due to an issue with the landing gear.
The plane landed safely. All 64 passengers and 5 crew members remained safe.
Owners of Robinson R44 choppers are recommended to replace their fuel tanks after crash investigations realized fatal accidents could have been avoided. Survivable accidents were made unsurvivable after a post-crash fires resulted from “an impact-related breach in the fuel tanks.”
Robinson issued a service bulletin in December 2010 calling for the retrofit of the all-aluminum fuel tanks with crash-resistant tanks. According to Robinson, retrofit kits are supplied at below-cost and can be performed by any qualified mechanic, service center or at the factory.
National carrier Air New Zealand canceled or delayed domestic flights due to Mount Tongariro Volcano ash on Monday night.
Gisborne, Rotorua, Taupo and Palmerston North May be affected.
The aviation colour code around Mt Tongariro was downgraded from red to orange, but the volcanic alert level remains. The plume from the eruption last night was steam-driven and 7000 m high. The colour code is used to alert aviation carriers to volcanic activity.
Air New Zealand flight NZ-621 had to divert and make an emergency landing in Christchurch, New Zealand, on May 20th.
The Airbus A320-200 plane heading from Auckland to Queenstown, New Zealand, was diverted after it suffered a lightning strike.
The plane landed uneventfully. Everyone aboard remained safe.
Another Air New Zealand flight had also suffered a lightning strike around the same time. See: Air New Zealand Flight Diverts to Christchurch After Lightning Strike
