Ag Heli down near Rocky

[Capt SFB]

Heard bits and pieces of this over the VHF yesterday:


Helicopter destroyed in fiery crash
21st July 2009

Emergency services were yesterday called to the scene of a helicopter crash near Theodore, 200 kilometres south-west of Rockhampton.


The crop duster crashed on a property on Davies Road around 3.30pm.


"The single occupant of the chopper escaped the wreckage, which caught fire," an emergency services spokesperson said.



"The man is not believed to be injured."


Firefighters contained the fire.

Source: http://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/story/2009/07/21/helicopter-destroyed-fiery-crash/ (http://http://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/story/2009/07/21/helicopter-destroyed-fiery-crash/)

[alpha tango driver]

Not a crash, just landed in long dry grass to open a gate, grass caught fire and destroyed R44. Just bad luck.:(

[heliduck]

I'm glad to hear it wasn't a crash, but can it be contributed to bad luck?? I'm guessing you believe in LTE as well.

[blakmax]

OK, So I'm not a pilot, and I know you guys do a lot of low level flying, but do you fly so low that you need to open gates?:ooh:

[crop duster]

Hmm. That's pretty low.

[Foxtrot Lima Yankee]

This time of year in Australia there is alot of long dry grass, I figure the PIC had no other option but as to land. You never been in an sticky situation heliduck?:confused:

[stinkychicken]

FLY

you make it sound like the whole countries covered in the stuff at this time of year, lucky every chopper doesn't burn:eek:

[topendtorque]

Legend has in the past been attached to those who can open gates from the moving helicopter.

Legend is never attached to those who burn machines in long grass, spoke about it just the other day on another thread.

There seem to be a plethora of "legends" around nowadays with about three hundred hours or so, but by gees, they are destroying their status and some of them themselves as well of late with absolute stupidity, by the bucketfull.

BTW, F.L.Y, for your sake what I have read of Heliduck's history and capability in her posts, I hope for your sake that she doesn't answer your idiot question with any more than a dismissive tone.

[heliduck]

To quote foxtrot lima yankee - "This time of year in Australia there is alot of long dry grass, I figure the PIC had no other option but as to land. You never been in an sticky situation heliduck? "

I can't help myself, but where do I start.
Lets break it down a bit - "I figure the PIC had no other option but as to land". If there was no mechanical failure, fuel in the tank & he was still in VMC the only reason you "have to land" is if you have gut cramps & are about to stain your pants.
"This time of year in Australia there is alot of long dry grass" - Australia has lots of dry grass & it has been proven numerous times now that if you park your very hot R44 exhaust on top of said dry grass there is a better than average chance that it will catch fire & burn your helicopter to the ground. Not a desirable outcome, but it happened frequently enough that Frank brought out an update which is a few bits of tin attached to the underside exhaust pipes by a few hose clamps from Mitre 10. The instances of R44's burning while parked were discussed far & wide in the bush throughout Australia as well as in various regulatory publications, as no-one likes to see a perfectly good helicopter burn.
I for one took note of all these discussions as I prefer to learn from other peoples mistakes as opposed to trying to make all of the mistakes since Igors first flight over again. This approach to learning from others has allowed me to operate in the bush in Australia using an R44 for many, many years including well over 20000 landings in areas which were "covered in long dry grass". On many occassions I no sooner had the throttle closed & I was out the door kicking grass from under the engine to prevent the very scenario as described previously. So you see, it can be done.
To expand a little, my propensity to observe others mistakes & learn from them has also to date prevented me from pulling power in a B206 to the point where the tail rotor can no longer compensate, flying into a cloud which has rocks in it, hitting a wire while spraying or mustering, hooking the long-line inadvertently, taking off with the seat belts hanging out of a squirrell, flying into the ground at night, flying into the ground over a lake during a snow-storm & all of those other wonderful things that people have done over the years which have ended in some form of "bad luck".
Last but not least - "You never been in an sticky situation heliduck? " - Yes I have been in some situations which I found very challenging, & I suppose some of those were to the point of being "sticky". Rather than blame it on "bad luck", on every occassion I chastised myself for not being more professional, as after all of these years of rotary flight I am sure that learning from somebody elses "bad luck" could have allowed me to avoid those very situations.
To summarise all of this dribble, learn from others mistakes, but if you don't & have an accident/incident then look for your culprit in the mirror, don't blame "BAD LUCK" as she had nothing to do with it.

[kunu1]

Nicely said Heliduck.I wouldn't worry to much about what "armchair experts" have to say here.Think they might have a bit much time on their hands really.
After nearly 30 yrs of flying helicopters Iv'e lost count of the amount of tosser's Iv'e come across in this line of work-it seems to attract them ,like flies on s*%it !!.
I always get a laugh at some of the dribble that sometimes apears here and you are 100% correct with your view of learning from other peoples misshaps,often stupidity and converting that lesson into how not to do your job.
Many years ago a friend of mine(who happened to have in excess of 30'000 hrs on helicopters when he retired) once said to me when I was first learning to fly a helicopter"it's pretty straight forward really,just don't let your ambition exceed your ability" and you'll be fine!.
Simple as that !
The 44 thing ?,well **** happens and long as no one was hurt and the insurance pays out so what,I bet the pilot won't ,shouldn't get caught out with that issue again.

[topendtorque]

Kunu1
what a bunch of contradictions your post is. I've picked the best one for replay, as below.


The 44 thing ?,well **** happens and long as no one was hurt and the insurance pays out so what,


Well dumbo? you obviously are not, nor ever have been a helicopter owner and therefore not a contributor to that generic 'contributory' racketeering that many of us are strangled into, which is generally known as "hull insurance premiums." and btw, i'll top your 30 with a few more.

F'wits that contribute to higher premiums should not be rewarded. what say you?

As fas as Foxtrot Lima Yankee is concerned, well I durn well told yer, didn't I?
you're the one with the sticky situation, now just try and dig yourself out of it.
cheers tet

[Ag-Rotor]

Does any one know why there is inferance to this incedent as a" AG Heli Down'' ????? Don't need insurance company"s associating something that is not associated with the Ag Industry, especialy when their trigger finger is poised on the rate hyke button. Good point made TET.
Sounds to me that it was just a good R44 that happened to be caught with a loose nut between the cyclic and the collective.

[kunu1]

Sorry to of rattled your cage TET .
Couldn't agree more re the bit about tools in the wrong places but since I don't know the people involved prefer not to make such asumptions ,however you obviously do so good luck to you.
Maybe you need to lighten up a bit TET.

[topendtorque]

Thanks guys, yes I should lighten up a bit at times, and the bit about the loose nut, I have been reliably informed by an outside source, was very close to the money, and the info is correct, it has never been elevated to the status of AG as far as I know.

Ag rests easy, us musterers cop it in the neck again. although why he musters in his toy '44 I know not. Maybe there should be a place in the annals of insurance hikes that orta be seta aside for toy boys to fulfil, take the heat of us commercial dudes.

I believe that the same 'loose nut' attracted a bit of flack some time ago (2 or 3 years) by being posted in a famous Qld 'agricutural' magazine as a 'bit of a mustering legend' but was portrayed without the usual accouttrament of helmet.
His mum and dad were reminded that they orta buy one for their spoilt son. seems the advisor missed on the bit about a decent fire extinguisher as well. next it'll be a night flying kit.???????????