On 8 March 2024, the aircraft experienced a loss of engine power shortly after departing Bathurst Airport during a return cargo transport operation. The pilot conducted a forced landing in a nearby field. Fortunately, the aircraft sustained no damage during the landing and the pilot was uninjured.
Following the incident, Helicopter Lifting Services returned to the site on 28 March 2024 to carry out the specialist aerial recovery operation. Using a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter, our experienced team worked alongside the crew from Touchdown Helicopters to lift and recover the aircraft from the paddock.
Recovering a fixed-wing aircraft from a remote landing site presents unique logistical and technical challenges, particularly when ground access and conventional recovery equipment are impractical. Helicopter lifting provides an efficient solution, allowing aircraft to be recovered from difficult terrain and transported without the need for extensive ground-based recovery infrastructure.
The operation demonstrated the capability of our specialist crews and the versatility of the Black Hawk helicopter in complex aircraft recovery scenarios. The speed and coordination of the team made the operation an impressive example of precision aerial lifting and specialist recovery work.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) subsequently identified fuel exhaustion as the cause of the forced landing, following fuel loss associated with an incorrectly secured fuel cap and discrepancies in fuel quantity monitoring.
We thank Touchdown Helicopters for the collaboration and commend everyone involved in delivering a successful recovery operation.
Watch the video to see the UH-60 Black Hawk and the Helicopter Lifting Services team carry out the recovery of VH-MEH, demonstrating the speed, precision and capability required for specialist aircraft lifting operations.
