Government agencies quit Robinson helicopters over safety concerns

Newshub has discovered more Government and local government agencies have stopped using the Robinson Helicopter over safety concerns.

It follows a Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) report into a crash in the Kahurangi National Park near Nelson in 2013, which killed pilot Damian Webster.

The Department of Conservation (DoC) was the first to pull out - banning staff from using Robinsons after TAIC put the helicopter on its watchlist in October last year.

TAIC made that decision because of concerns about mast bumping, when the rotor blade hits the cabin.

In the past two decades, TAIC says 18 people have been killed in mast bumping events involving the Robinson in New Zealand.

Several other agencies have now followed DoC's lead and stopped using the helicopter.

This includes the National Rural Fire Authority, the Ministry for Primary Industries, Northland Regional Council, Environment Canterbury, Horizons Regional Council, Otago Regional Council, Environment Southland and the Bay of Plenty Regional Council.

TAIC's report into the crash which killed Mr Webster stated that under the old rules, which restricted flying in certain conditions, the helicopter wouldn't have been in the air.

"Had the previous wind and operating limitations applied for a pilot with this experience, the flight should not have gone ahead and therefore might have been avoided," says TAIC air investigations manager Peter Williams.

TAIC has recommended those restrictions be reintroduced for the R44 and extended to include the larger R66.

"The more quickly that they're in place - the better chance we have of no repeat accidents," Mr Williams says.

It's also reiterated concerns with the design of the Robinson's main rotor - saying it makes them prone to mast bumping.

"The concern is that this type of helicopter rotor design known as a teetering rotor head… it is just the Robinson helicopters that are having this type of accident," Mr Williams says.

But Robinson rejects that, saying TAIC made "technical errors and incorrect assumptions".

It points to an investigation in 1994 that found the design of the rotor "does not affect susceptibility to mast bumping".

But TAIC says that research was never completed.

"People are bound to criticise aspects if they're not happy with them - that's their right to do so," Mr Williams says.

"We believe there's not enough known about the rotor performance - particularly under low G - and that needs to be investigated further."

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) says it had a team in the US this month meeting with Robinson and the US regulator the FAA.

It won't say whether it will implement the changes - but that they are under consideration.

Mr Webster's father, David, says safety changes should be made as TAIC has suggested.

"As far as the helicopters go, it concerns me that people are continuing to fly the helicopters unchanged," he says.

"TAIC has definitely got it right - I would like to see the CAA implement their findings and recommendations."

Newshub.