The ATSB last week published the final report into a fatal birdstrike on a Bell 206L, concluding that the pilot had limited opportunity to see and avoid the bird.
Long Ranger VH-JMM was on passenger charter in Arnhem land in July this year with a pilot and one passenger on board when a white bellied sea eagle came through the acrylic windscreen and struck the passenger in the upper body. The pilot, seeing the passenger was seriously injured, diverted to land at Lake Evella. Emergency services attended the helicopter, but the passenger could not be saved.
ATSB Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell said the pilot didn't have the chance to avoid the bird and praised his actions after the collision.
"The pilot had limited opportunity to detect the bird as they were looking down and to the left of the helicopter’s trajectory, reducing their ability to see the bird and alter the helicopter’s flight path in time, and likely rendering the collision unavoidable under the circumstances,” he said.
“Despite the injuries to the passenger and the damage to the aircraft, the pilot demonstrated composure and maintained control of the aircraft, enabling a calm and controlled return to a location where medical assistance could be provided.”
The Long Ranger was fitted with a standard acrylic windscreen, which had no impact resistance rating; however, ATSB investigator concluded that available impact-resistant windscreen were rated only for a 1-kg bird. The bird that struck JMM weighed 3 kg, meaning it likely would have passed through a rated windscreen anyway.
“Nevertheless, the ATSB encourages helicopter operators to consider whether helmets and the fitment of impact‑resistant windshields are appropriate as part of their risk assessments of their operations, particularly for operations in areas with a high probability of birdstrike,” Mitchell said.
The short investigation report is on the ATSB website.