New Queenstown helicopter base proposed after near-miss report

Tuesday, 2 July 2024

Queenstown helicopter operations will likely move to a new airport base after reports of a near-miss as two helicopters took off close to each other.

The December 2022 incident was reported to the Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) as one of the pilots appeared to take evasive action to avoid a collision at Queenstown Airport.

However, the commission’s final report found the reported evasive manoeuvre was actually a standard turn on departure by one of the helicopters.

At their closest point, the helicopters were 44 metres apart, it found.

The report identified a bottleneck at the Queenstown Aerodrome southern apron layout, where helicopter hangars were located.

Congestion and visibility issues of helicopters had been identified and actions were being taken to resolve the issues, it said.

Queenstown Airport chief operating officer Todd Grace said the airport had worked closely with Airways and helicopter operators to put new procedures in place since the incident.

Airways now managed the arrival and departure of helicopters in the general aviation area. Previously it was only managed once they departed.

Also, it proposed relocating helicopter activity to a new area, under the 2023 Master Plan process.

Detailed airfield development planning was due to be completed by the end of the year and it was likely the relocation of helicopters would be one of the first projects undertaken, Grace said.

“As well as moving noise away from the main residential area of Frankton, the relocation of general aviation operators will further improve safety and operational processes,” he said.

The two helicopters involved in the incident were Eurocopters registered with The Helicopter Line Ltd and Over The Top Ltd.

The TAIC report found the Over the Top helicopter was cleared to depart first on the afternoon of December 27, 2022.

When clearance was given for the Helicopter Line helicopter to depart, the pilot assumed the other had already left, as about 10 minutes had passed since clearance was given.

This was due to the pilot waiting for inbound aircraft to land.

The Helicopter Line pilot did not positively identify the location of the Over The Top helicopter due to the initial orientation of their helicopter, and the location of a hangar between the two helipads, the report said.

While the Helicopter Line helicopter was departing it passed above and to the left of the Over The Top helicopter.

When the Helicopter Line pilot spotted the other helicopter departing, they made a radio call to the tower and took the lead out of the southern apron.

No evasive action was needed, the commission found.

The change in procedures following the incident required pilots to report sighting the previous aircraft as part of any clearance when following another aircraft.

“It is very likely, had this been in place at the time of this incident, that it would have assisted the pilots to remain in the correct sequence,” the report said.

As a result of safety action already taken, the commission made no recommendations.

It noted a previous incident in December 2021 between an arriving helicopter and an aeroplane departing resulted in changes, which came into effect in December 2022 and often resulted in delays for helicopters waiting to depart.