4 Dead in MD500 crash in B.C.

[CYHeli]

Saw this today..
CTV.ca | Helicopter crashes in icy B.C. river, four killed (http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080806/bc_chopper_crash_080806/20080806?hub=TopStories)

Prism Helicopters lost an MD 500 in British Columbia.
Anyone know anything more?

Condolences...

[Pilot DAR]

Yes, I know more...

Prism is an excellent organization, who go to great efforts to assure the best quality helicopters and maintenance. The attitude of DZ, the owner, is one of safety and quality first. Their training is incredible, and they go to great effort to assure recurrent training is thorough and effective. I have taken training there on two different occasions, and received my MD500 type endorsement there.

If you're going to fly, every now and again it's not going to work out as planned. I would rather think of the team at Prism not as having suffered a crash, but concentrate on all of the operations which they have completed with safety and success over the years.

They will pay this unfortunate event the necessary attention, and grow to continue their great operation. I'd send my family flying with them any day.

My thoughts are with the Prism team.

Pilot DAR

[MK10]

"My thoughts are with the Prism team."

Well mine are with the friends and families of those that were lost

mk10

[Pilot DAR]

It's a big team..... Family, friends, relatives, aquaintances, suppliers, customers, regulators and probably even pets are on it too, and due the same thoughts!

[emil011]

Does anybody know the registration number of the crashed helicopter?

[Pilot DAR]

The unfortunate cause of the accident, and the indentiy of the helicopter involved, have been made directly known to me. I think it not my role in this forum to circulate more detailed information than this, at this early stage.

The information provided to me 100% reassures me that the MD500D is an excellent, safe helicopter, and Prism's care of their crews, and maintenance of their equipment is not the least bit a cause of the accident.

I have learned from what has happened, as this is a helicopter which I have previously flown. It is not my time to teach or inform in regard of this accident. In the future we will all be a little better at how we assure safe aviation, based upon learning from this very unfortunate, and simply understood event.

Pilot DAR

[AirWon]

Am I the only one on here to read PilotDAR's posts and think, "what?" The more I re-read them the more they irritate me.
Who made you Prism's spokesperson? Do we give a rat's ass what you think of them and their reputation. Your conclusions mean nothing and are based on what, special information given only to you?
The more you write the more you sound like a fool.
It's tragic, sure, but let the investigation play out before we say Prism are blameless.
If they're so good, maybe you can do your CPL training with them too. Then fly a few thousand hours in the 500 and me might take a passing interest in your opinion.

[boogar]

I heard a cover was left on the machine,i guess around rotor head. as it was seen taking off with the cover still on. An easy mistake we're all capable of.Makes you think about doing a proper pre flight doesn't it.

[Pilot DAR]

Oops, I must have offered too much of what I was told. I had not realized that it would be so easy for my posting to be seen as an attempt to irritate AirWon. I don't have anything against AirWon, or any other poster.

"Special" infomation was given directly to me, and others as well I'm sure, but I don't know who. The special information given to me was not accompanied with permission to spread it around, particularly when I have not idea who is reading, or what they will do with it.

Blame, Yes I suppose there must be some to be assigned. I'm not going to do it. If someone is out looking for someone else to blame, I'm not going to help them. I hope we can learn, and do better in the future, and hopefully prevent a reoccurance. This accident has no mystery associated with it. No gremlins to get everyone worried, no indication, from my point of view, of a failing on Prism's part, so yes I will do my small part to stand behind Prism, because they are worthy of my small bit of support. I am purposely not attempting to speak on Prism's behalf, just being supportive in a difficult time. Prism management has already made a public statement.

Having done my best to be supportive and empathetic, without speaking out of turn, I have apparently exceeded at least one person's ideal conditions. These forums sometimes become a ripe environment for speculation, which in my opinion often is un-informed, and un-helpful, and has the potential to cause harm.

In closing, based upon what I was told, boogar has been very well informed.

[RVDT]

Air Won,

Who exactly is "we"?

Am I the only one on here to read PilotDAR's posts and think, "what?"

Your probably right!

As it says at the bottom of the page -

As these are anonymous forums the origins of the contributions may be opposite to what may be apparent. In fact the press may use it, or the unscrupulous, or sciolists*, to elicit certain reactions.

*"sciolist"... Noun, archaic. "a person who pretends to be knowledgeable and well informed".

I guess "we" learn from the mistakes of others because "we" won't live long enough to make them all ourselves!

PS, If I wanted to listen to an ar%^&ole I would have fa#ted!

[Arnie Madsen]

Shortly after the helicopter was removed from the river , one of the early investigative reports stated "components not associated with normal flight affected the controls"

In other words; tools , or covers , or other foreign objects caused the loss of control.

Arnie

[Heli-Jet]

Had a buddy flying a 500 with a similar problem, broke the pitch links .... no collective .... spent a year recovering from a broken back

[Arnie Madsen]

VANCOUVER — Transportation Safety Board investigators think they've zeroed in on the cause of a deadly helicopter crash in northwestern B.C. this week.
The pilot and three passengers heading to a mineral drill site died Wednesday morning when the Prism Helicopters Hughes 500 crashed upside down into the Kitsault River shortly after leaving Alice Arm, 150 kilometres northeast of Prince Rupert.
"We were able to determine that the aircraft came into the trees next to the river at a very steep angle," safety board spokesman Bill Yearwood said Friday. "On examination of the wreckage, its damage is consistent with the aircraft not being in control just before impact."
The probe turned up pre-impact damage to the controls that were not from a conventional mechanical failure, he said.
"We know there was a mechanical problem because of the loss of control but it was not a problem that's associated with ongoing maintenance or design," said Yearwood. "The aircraft was damaged by equipment that's not normally on the aircraft when it's in flight."
Yearwood said specific details would have to await the board's final report, which will likely not be published for several months.

[remote hook]

AirWon,


Thank you for reminding me why I rarely post on Pprune anymore.

A VERY good, VERY respected pilot lost his life, as did three (two of whom I know) innocent by-standards. We all make mistakes, some of us are just lucky enough to live through them.

RIP D.R. W.B You will both be missed greatly.


RH

[AirWon]

Yep, leaving a doghouse cover on will do it! Yes, it's a mistake anyone can make. How any one can think that my post disrespected those that lost their lives surprises me. My comments were directed quite clearly towards the poster, not the pilot.
I will reserve my personal thoughts on the cause of the accident. I'll probably think of this accident now, every time I take the cover off my 500, maybe making me that tad bit safer.
.....and please don't lecture me about losing friends and aquaintances in this industry. I have lost my share, and even dropped water on the burning wreck of one of them.....
I have no more to say.
RIP indeed.