An inquiry has been launched after a helicopter pilot had to take 鈥渆vasive action鈥 to avoid a mid-air crash with another helicopter at Queenstown Airport last month.
The Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) is investigating the December 27 incident.
鈥淭he two helicopters got too close to each other during hover-taxi departure from the airport鈥檚 southern apron area,鈥 TAIC said in a statement.
The 鈥渞eported circumstances鈥 involved a Eurocopter AS350 ZK-IDB, which is registered with The Helicopter Line Ltd and Eurocopter EC130 ZK-IUP, registered with Over The Top Ltd.
聽鈥淭he AS350 took evasive action to avoid colliding with the EC130,鈥 TAIC says.
TAIC opened this inquiry on January 17 after gathering evidence following notification from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) five days earlier.
It comes after a mid-air collision between two helicopters near Sea World on the Gold Coast that killed four people on January 2.
Sea World Helicopters chief pilot Ash Jenkinson died in the crash along with British newlyweds Ron and Diane Hughes and Sydney mother Vanessa Tadros.
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