Bell 206 accident near Traralgon, Australia, Au, May 20, 2010
On May 20, 2010 at about 4:15 am local time, a Bell 206 (helicopter), registered VHOSU, was destroyed in an accident during maneuvering near Traralgon, Australia (Latrobe Valley airport). It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under non-U.S. private rules. 1 person was killed.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 20, 2010 · about 4:15 am local time
- Place
- Traralgon, Australia, Australia · Latrobe Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Bell 206 L3 · all 206s on the register
- Registration
- VHOSU · no longer on the register · serial 51226
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · non-U.S. private rules
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On May 20, 2010, about 0415 Universal Coordinated Time, a Bell 206 L-3, VH-OSU, operated by a pilot from New Zealand doing crop spraying operations struck a power line and subsequently collided with terrain near Latrobe Valley Aerodrome, Traralgon, Australia. The meteorological conditions were not reported at the time. The helicopter was destroyed and the pilot, the sole occupant, was killed. The departure and destination airports are unknown. 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 Transportation Safety Bureau (ATSB) P.O. Box 967, Civic Square Canberra A.C.T. 2608 Australia Telephone: (61) 2 6257-4150 Fax: (61) 2 6274-6434
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during maneuvering defining event
Crew member
No details recorded.
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Not recorded
The flight
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.