Bell 204B VH-EQF, operated by Summit Logging, arrived in New Zealand during August 2016 (see original post below). It was destroyed following an inflight fire and autorotation west of Lake Taupo 21 June 2017 as per the media report HERE.
The dark green tailboom and barely visible registration in the media report helped identify the unfortunate airframe.
Original post from 07 August 2016:
Eagle-eyed (and eared!) Agairnz was presented with a conundrum mid aftenoon 04 August and the sound and then sight of an Iroquious making its way southbound via the eastern fringe of Ardmore Aerodrome. Thanks to Delticman and the Wings over New Zealand forum the "mystery" was quickly solved and the helicopter identified as the Bell 204B VH-EQF. The medium lift chopper was listed with South West Helicopters PTY of Cootamundra, NSW as recently as mid July however has been an Australian resident since 2014.
The dark green tailboom and barely visible registration in the media report helped identify the unfortunate airframe.
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Original post from 07 August 2016:
Eagle-eyed (and eared!) Agairnz was presented with a conundrum mid aftenoon 04 August and the sound and then sight of an Iroquious making its way southbound via the eastern fringe of Ardmore Aerodrome. Thanks to Delticman and the Wings over New Zealand forum the "mystery" was quickly solved and the helicopter identified as the Bell 204B VH-EQF. The medium lift chopper was listed with South West Helicopters PTY of Cootamundra, NSW as recently as mid July however has been an Australian resident since 2014.
The big Bell had crossed the Tasman Sea via Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island and 04 August presumably saw it fly from Norfolk to Kerikeri for customs clearance then southbound to points unknown.
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| resting at Lord Howe Island, Planecrazy photo http://rnzaf.proboards.com/thread/20093/lord-howe-island-visitors?page=7 |
