# NTSB WPR18WA230: Kawasaki Heavy Industries BK117 B-2, Ulladulla, Australia, August 17, 2018

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Foreign investigation
- Date: August 17, 2018
- Place: Ulladulla, Australia
- Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal
- Status: Led by another country's authority
- NTSB office: Western Pacific Region
- Lead agency: Other
- NTSB case key (mKey): 98110
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR18WA230
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/98110/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR18WA230

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000) (defining event); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,703 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md)

## Factual narrative

On August 17, 2018, about 1400 local time, a Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd. BK117 B-2 helicopter, VH-JWB, was destroyed when it impacted terrain during aerial firefighting operations near Ulladulla, New South Wales, Australia. The helicopter was operated by Sydney Helicopters. The commercial pilot was fatally injured. The investigation is under the jurisdiction of the Government of Australia. This report is for information purposes only and contains only information released by the Government of Australia. Further information pertaining to this accident may be obtained from: Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) P.O. Box 967, Civic Square Canberra A.C.T. 2608 Australia Tel: +612 6274 6054 Fax: +612 6274 6434 www.atsb.gov.au

## Aircraft

- Registration: VH-JWB (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd. BK117 B-2
- Category: Helicopter
- Serial number: 1094
- Engines: Lycoming LTS101 turbo shaft
- Damage: Destroyed
- Operator: Sydney Helicopters

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.