The Royal New Zealand Air Force is investigating the cause of an Anzac Day helicopter crash that left three personnel dead and another seriously injured.
Three Bell UH-1H transports from Ohakea-based 3 Sqn were flying in formation to participate in dawn commemoration services in Wellington on 25 April, when one crashed in rugged terrain near Pukerua Bay, just north of the capital.
The accident happened shortly before 06:00 local time, in heavy cloud and fog.
Refusing to speculate on the possible cause of the accident, air force officials have defended the airworthiness of the service's UH-1 fleet. Flightglobal's MiliCAS database lists this as having totalled 14 aircraft delivered between 1966 and 1975 before the mishap.
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New Zealand's remaining UH-1s will be replaced by eight NH Industries NH90 tactical transports. The first will arrive later this year and the total fleet will be fully operational by 2013.
The RNZAF had already suffered two serious accidents so far this year. A pilot from its Red Checkers aerobatic display team died when his Pacific Aerospace CT4/E trainer crashed in January, and the team was grounded after a non-fatal mid-air collision in March.
Source: Flight International
