Pilot error possibly aggravated by gusty winds and nearby live power lines caused a helicopter to ditch into a remote New Territories valley, a government report has found.
Aviation officials believe further accidents can be avoided by using a second person as lookout when helicopters are being used to string cables between pylons over difficult terrain.
The Civil Aviation Department (CAD) report released yesterday said the pilot moved the Heliservices single-engine Lama helicopter too close to an electricity pylon. The crash happened on March 16 last year, seriously injuring pilot Steve Perrott and wrecking the helicopter.
The helicopter was laying ropes between the pylons so they could be used to pull up cables later on.
The work was being carried out for China Light & Power in Tai Lam Chung Country Park, five kilometres southeast of Yuen Long.
Accident inspector Norman Lo Sung-man's CAD report found that Mr Perrott allowed the rotor blades of his helicopter to get too close to the rope which then became entangled.
'The helicopter became uncontrollable and a crash was unavoidable despite any corrective actions that the pilot may have made,' Mr Lo said.