The country's aviation safety body is warning operators about helicopters previously under several Wellington-based companies.
The helicopter crashed in the Pauatahanui Inlet near Porirua. Photo: RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King
Pilot Rick Lucas escaped unharmed after his twin-engine helicopter crashed into the water north of Wellington in May.
It prompted an investigation by the Transport Accident Investigation Commission, in which the Civil Aviation Authority said "significant anomalies" were found in the maintenance and engineering of the helicopter.
In a Continuing Airworthiness Notice issued this month the Authority said it was "concerned that if similar maintenance and engineering practices were carried out on other aircraft previously operated by Rick Lucas Helicopters Limited or other aircraft previously operated by Helipro Aviation Training Limited, and aircraft previously maintained by Helipro Aviation Support Limited, then those aircraft could be at risk."
All three companies went into receivership in October 2014.
The pilot of the chopper Rick Lucas. Photo: RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King
Helicopters inspected by an authorised engineer found to be previously used and maintained by those companies from January 2012 would need to be checked.
When contacted by RNZ for comment, Mr Lucas said as far as he was aware there was no issue of safety but declined to comment further, saying it was an issue for the company's receivers and engineers.
However, he said the notice was asking people to do checks they should do annually as part of normal practice, so the notice was a "bit of a mystery."
He said there were around four or five aircraft that he was aware of being sold by the receivers.
