The Department of Conservation (Doc) is suspending their use of Robinson helicopters following the deaths of two men whose helicopter crashed in Northland on Monday.
Allan Jessop and Derek Hammond died when the Robinson 44 they were in crashed in Glenbervie Forest north of Whangarei.
The forest is owned by global forest products company Rayonier and the crash victims were believed to have been contractors surveying the forest and were well-known in the forestry industry.
Doc said their decision follows the recent crash and the placing of Robinson helicopters on a Transport Accident Investigation Commission 'watchlist'.
Doc's health and safety director Harry Maher said the decision has been made to protect staff, including volunteers and contractors working directly for Doc.
"The safety of our people is paramount, so in light of the recent accident we are suspending the use of these helicopters for operations where Doc staff, volunteers and contractors are passengers."
Mr Maher said Doc will liaise with the Civil Aviation Authority during their investigation of this latest accident and review its position as further information from the Civil Aviation Authority comes to hand.
Monday's crash brought the number of people killed in fatal New Zealand crashes involving Robinson helicopters to 20 since 1996.
About 300 Robinson choppers are registered in New Zealand and the brand makes up 40% of the nation's helicopter fleet.
Northland Rescue Helicopter chief pilot Pete Turnbull described seeing parts of the ill-fated helicopter in some of the region's most inhospitable terrain.
He said to the layperson it did not appear that anyone could have survived the crash.
"There was a tiny trickle of smoke coming out of the forest," he said.
"I could see a tail rotor and a tail boom skid and it looked badly damaged."
The crash comes only days after the Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) added Robinson Helicopters to its watchlist of safety concerns.
In a statement released on Thursday, TAIC said along with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), it had investigated 14 cases since 1996 where the inner part of a main rotor blade or rotor hub of Robinson choppers had bumped the main rotor drive shaft or "mast".
It said the accidents had claimed 18 lives.
