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Matthew Wallis was killed when his helicopter crashed over Lake Wānaka in July 2018.
The Wānaka helicopter pilot, Matthew Wallis, may have been flying too fast when it hit turbulence and crashed into a lake, according to a new report.
Wallis was killed when his Robinson R44II broke down in flight over Lake Wānaka on July 21, 2018.
An interim report from the Transportation Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) found that the wreckage showed evidence of blows to the mast.
A final report from the agency has confirmed the finding.
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Mast strike occurs when an internal part of the main rotor mechanism strikes the main rotor drive shaft; usually the helicopter breaks down in flight.
Turbulence is a known contributor to neck shock.
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Wānaka pilot Nick Wallis was killed along with two Department of Conservation workers when his helicopter crashed near the Wānaka airport in October 2018.
Three months after Wallis’ death, his brother, pilot Nick Wallis, and Department of Conservation workers Paul Hondelink and Scott Theobald were killed in a helicopter crash near the Wānaka airport.
Investigators said a pair of pants flew out of the helicopter’s cockpit and became entangled in the tail rotor, causing it to crash.
Matthew and Nick Wallis were the youngest of four siblings from a well-known Wānaka family. They were both helicopter pilots in the family’s aviation and tourism businesses.
The TAIC report said the key lesson from Matthew Wallis’s accident investigation was that pilots needed to be careful when planning and conducting flights in areas of potential turbulence.
“Drivers should try to avoid these situations,” he said.
Wallis was on a brief solo flight from Wānaka Airport to Mt Aspiring National Park when the accident occurred. Police and navy divers found his body in the Stevenson’s Arm area of the lake two days later.
A cold front that passed the day of the accident brought wind, predicted turbulence and reduced visibility, which were not “good” flight conditions, according to the report.
“This meant that the decision on whether to fly was ambiguous and required the pilot to exercise judgment based on available meteorological information, his own meteorological knowledge and limits, and the capability of the helicopter.”
GEORGE HEARD / THINGS
Jonathan Wallis has made a promise to his missing brother, helicopter pilot Matthew Wallis: “We’ll get you home soon.” (Video published in July 2018)
The helicopter likely hit unexpected turbulence, causing the mast to hit.
The commission also found that the helicopter’s speed likely increased the risk.
In the 10 years prior to the accident, the commission had investigated five Robinson Helicopter Company (RHC) mountain accidents in which the mast hit caused the helicopters to break apart in flight. The Civil Aviation Authority had investigated one more.
All the accidents occurred while the helicopters were in flight and weighed less than the maximum weight allowed.
RHC informed the commission that the pilot actions were likely the main reason for the accidents.
“However, without survivors or witnesses, it has been impossible to definitively confirm or counter this claim,” says the TAIC report.
The lack of reliable evidence limited the effectiveness of safety research, he said.
“Various parties, including RHC, are developing recorders suitable for installation on different types of RHC helicopters.”
In a statement, Wallis’ brother Jonathan said the family was relieved that the investigation was over.
They accepted the report’s findings that the lack of reliable evidence about what caused the mast bump on Robinson helicopters “continues to limit the effectiveness of safety investigations,” he said.
“Our focus continues to be moving forward as a family and, in particular, supporting Matthew’s young son, Arthur.”
