Video of R44 crash in China

[meloz]

LiveLeak.com - Helicopter Crash - China

[SASless]

You have to look out for those sudden onsets of Intense Gravity!:oh:

[Bell_ringer]

Hmm. High power manoeuvres, reverse flight, low power helo driven by a muppet. What could possibly go wrong.. :ugh:

[212man]

I imagine the owner of the boat that caught fire was less than amused!

[[email protected]]

Be interesting to know at what point he realised he had completely F***ed it - possibly when the low Nr horn went off as he started to overpitch:)

[Bell_ringer]

Interesting that even in water, a Robbie can catch fire :}

[212man]

Interesting that even in water, a Robbie can catch fire :}

I think that was the boat I mentioned.....

[oleary]

Reminds me of your typical Vancouver, Canada driver. :uhoh:

[MightyGem]

In my mind, the most shocking thing is the Vertical Video. :=

[Carbon Bootprint]

I have to go with MightyGem on the "Just say no to vertical video."

Frankly the video was so poor (or maybe it was my eyes) that I didn't realize it had crashed on a boat until the post by 212man. Good catch!

[mickjoebill]

Interesting one to distribute to the film community.

At what point was it unrecoverable?

Don't say immediately after take off:)

Mickjoebill

[gulliBell]

It's in China. They'll just buy a new one. No problem.

[onetrack]

Just opened the video on the Live Leak site, and saw the comment; "Both the pilot and passenger managed to swim to safety after crashing."

Well, maybe - just maybe - the pilot's learnt something about the limits of a Robbie.

[Torquetalk]

Well, maybe - just maybe - the pilot's learnt something about the limits of a Robbie


Launching any type at the ground and into its downwash isn't the smartest thing to do. Outcome coud easily have been the same with many types. The Robbie and its "limitations" weren't the problem here. What a %&/$§!

[gulliBell]

It was one of those videos where what happens next yields one with little surprise.

[[email protected]]

The Robbie and its "limitations" weren't the problem here. What a %&/$§! Except that it was the limitation of not enough power that caught him/her out.

[lelebebbel]

An R44 with 2 POB actually has pretty decent power reserves. ****ty flying technique like that would have most likely resulted in a similar crash in most comparable types.

[Cutsnake]

At what point did this actually go wrong? Was the yawning after steep bank due to no power left and then descent due to holding left peddle or did he intentionally drop it with a high rate of decent and was then unable to arrest?

[gulliBell]

Low altitude, low airspeed, turned tail into the wind, settling with power, welcome to the scene of the accident.

[FH1100 Pilot]

Oh, and it was an R-66. Doesn't matter how much power reserve you have when you start vertically down the column of air you're producing. Classic.

[gulliBell]

Not even 900 horse power of PT6 turbine in that R66 would have saved him. Your only friend here is altitude and airspeed, he had neither. Knowing China as well as I do there will be a face saving excuse, and a chunk of cash laid down for a new one.

[Cutsnake]

There was no wind. The red flag is not flapping until the rotor wash hit it. Before and after it is calm. No ripples on the water,smoke goes straight up. If that is the ocean and not a lake at altitude, they should have had heaps of power at sea level with only 2 ppl on board.
I understand it was some larey sh#t flying but was the high rate of decent no airspeed at the end intentional and the clincher ?

[gulliBell]

No wind? I beg to differ, have a look at the last frame taken from the opposite shore, smoke rising from the burning boat, looks like about 5kts to me at 100' AGL.

[[email protected]]

Cutsnake - yes - he put himself in a position where he had lost translational lift (low airspeed) and either intentionally or accidentally established a rate of descent (possibly didn't recognise the descent initially) at this point he will have applied power and either didn't have enough (settling with power due to overpitching) or encountered VRS - both have essentially the same outcome at low level, as he discovered.

[AnFI]

that yaw is a classic way to acheive zero airspeed and hit the VRS ingredients (agree), any attempt at an attitude change would have saved him

[whoateallthepies]

Vortex ring. No doubt. Too low for recovery once he "settled" into it. Cowboy.

[FSXPilot]

Sorry son you've failed your skills test.