[ad_1]
A pilot was taking his family on a lunchtime cruise when the helicopter he had owned for two months spun out of control and crashed, killing himself and his wife.
The plane crashed onto a rocky beach at the mouth of the Kekerengu River, about 40 kilometers north of Kaikōura, during a flight from Christchurch at around 12:40 p.m. Tuesday.
A family member confirmed that the pilot, Andrew Hamish Davidson, and his wife, Lin, were killed. Her two young children and a third child survived the accident, but were seriously injured.
The children were airlifted to Wellington Hospital.
READ MORE:
* The parents are feared to have died after the helicopter crash north of Kaikōura.
* The mystery continues more than two years after ‘family men’ were killed in a helicopter crash.
* Fuel contamination found to be the cause of the Southland helicopter crash
* The helicopter collapsed 300 m, creating a hole one meter deep in the ground.
“It has been a great impact … the children have been left without parents,” said the relative.
Brya Ingram / Stuff
The Airbus Helicopter EC120 was traveling from Christchurch with five people on board when it lost control near the beach.
The group is believed to have been flying to The Store, a popular restaurant in Kekerengu, for lunch.
Witnesses say the helicopter got into trouble trying to land. First responders ripped out the front window to free the survivors, fearing it would catch fire.
Davidson, who according to his LinkedIn was the CEO of Enatel Motive Power, incorporated helicopter rental company Glenloch Helicopters Limited on September 28.
The Eurocopter EC120 B was transferred to his name on October 10, 2020.
The couple also ran a bed and breakfast from their lifestyle section at Ohoka in North Canterbury.
STUFF
Andrew Hamish Davidson died in a helicopter crash on Monday. (File photo)
The Transportation Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) has opened an investigation into the accident.
The commission said the circumstances reported to date were that the Airbus Helicopter EC120 was traveling from Christchurch with five people on board when it lost control near the beach.
Kekerengu resident Ian Mehrtens said that when he first saw the helicopter from his accommodation, it looked like it was coming ashore.
“It all happened so fast … it looked normal and then it started to spiral,” he said.
“It just got out of control so fast.”
Mehrtens raced to the scene across the street on a quad bike. About four or five members of the public were already there. The front window was opened to release the survivors.
Stacy Squires / Stuff
Andrew Davidson’s home in Ohoka, North Canterbury, is also run as a bed and breakfast.
He said he pulled a girl out of the rubble. The other children rescued were a boy and another girl, possibly in their teens.
“There was nothing you could do except get them [passengers] out of there. Especially since there is a possibility [the helicopter] it could catch fire.
“We were lucky there was a tall guy helping. He was able to come up and grab the passengers. “
The helicopter was at sea, which was at low tide at the time.
A tractor dragged the helicopter out of the water, Mehrtens said.
Emergency services arrived “pretty quickly,” he said. The first response came from local farmers.
A TAIC investigation team is scheduled to be on site on Wednesday.
Scott Hammond / Stuff
The downed helicopter was an EC120.
“His initial work will include inspecting the wreckage, mapping the site, and speaking with witnesses. Gathering additional evidence in the coming weeks and months will likely include examining the helicopter’s components, searching for recorded data from the helicopter’s electronics, and the obtaining maintenance records “. said chief accident investigator Harald Hendel.
There may be people who saw what happened, given the location of the accident next to a busy cafe on State Highway 1, he said.
“TAIC is asking any witnesses, especially anyone who captured the accident on their vehicle’s dash cam or other recording device, to contact TAIC as soon as possible.”
CONTROL POINT / RNZ
Two people died and three were seriously injured in a helicopter crash north of Kaikōura.
Three helicopters were called to the crash site, one from Christchurch, Nelson and Wellington, along with fire, police and ambulance services.
Darryl Papesch of New Zealand National Fire and Emergency Headquarters (Fenz) was at a nearby fire station at the time.
Volunteer firefighters from Kaikōura and Seddon and community members did a good job dealing with the “chaotic situation,” he said.
