General News
24 October, 2025
Lucky escape for pilot after September incident in Gulf
The R22 Robinson went down on a property near Century Mine in the Gulf last month.
A North West helicopter pilot was seriously injured when his aircraft struck a tree limb and crashed while mustering cattle near Century Mine last month.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) this week released a short report into the incident, which happened on September 22 during routine mustering operations.
According to the report, the pilot had stopped briefly in a dry creek bed to allow cattle to cross before taking off again in what were described as clear but gusty conditions.
As the Robinson R22 helicopter lifted off and hovered about 35 feet above the ground, the pilot noticed a small tree limb being blown toward the aircraft.
He tried to steer clear, but the branch struck the tail rotor. The helicopter spun twice before crashing into a nearby wire fence and rolling onto its side.
The pilot suffered serious injuries and the aircraft was substantially damaged, including to its rotor systems, tail boom, and fuselage.
The ATSB said the accident served as a reminder of the risks of flying in confined or uneven terrain, particularly when weather conditions changed suddenly.
Mustering pilots often land and take off multiple times throughout the day, sometimes in tight or rough areas, to move cattle or take short breaks.
“Frequent monitoring of environmental conditions, such as changing wind conditions, is necessary to ensure a safe take-off, particularly in confined areas,” the report said.
While the area was familiar to the pilot, the ATSB said confined-area flying always came with added risk, limiting a pilot’s options if something went wrong.
The report also explained that no formal investigation would be undertaken.
Instead, the brief was published to help raise awareness across the industry about the kinds of hazards mustering pilots face every day – and how quickly conditions could turn dangerous, even for experienced operators.