The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has encouraged some of Australia’s aircraft pilots to wear safety helmets when flying to reduce the risk of serious head injury in case of an accident.
The ATSB made its call after an M-18A Dromader aircraft carrying out agricultural spray operations on a paddock north-west of the Emerald Airport in Queensland hit the ground in December 2017.
It said the pilot had completed a spray run before turning for another when the incident happened and aircraft’s right wing collided with the ground.
“The pilot was able to exit the aircraft and the aircraft was substantially damaged,”
the ATSB said.
It said it was unable to determine the reason for the aircraft’s downward pitch during the turn and the pilot had no recollection of the accident.
“The pilot was wearing his personal flight helmet during the flight,” the Bureau reported.
“The ATSB found that the pilot’s personnel flight helmet struck the internals of the cockpit and based on the extent of damage to the helmet, it probably prevented the pilot receiving a more serious head injury.”
It said pilots involved in agricultural operations were particularly vulnerable to accidents involving major or fatal head injury.
ATSB said the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) had issued a Circular discussing the importance of pilots wearing a correctly fitting flight helmet.
It said the Circular highlighted the fact that pilots involved in agricultural operations were particularly vulnerable to accidents involving major or fatal head injury and the need for a helmet to be part of a pilot’s personal flying equipment.
The 113-page ICAO Circular entitled Safety in aerial work Part 1. Agricultural Operations can be accessed at this PS News link.
