PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Pasadena Police - two OH-58s make contact
Old 10th Mar 2018, 08:47
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John Eacott
 
Join Date: Aug 1999
Location: Gold Coast, Australia
Age: 75
Posts: 4,379
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This incident reminds me of a similar helipad collision on an offshore pad on the Great Barrier Reef, IIRC out of Cairns, back in the early 90s. The pilot of the shut down helicopter (Bell 222?) had shut down with the blades fore and aft but unable to be tied down as the tail was out over the water. The landing helicopter (LongRanger?) collided with a blade and there was a fatality as a result. The 222 pilot was nowhere near the machine, yet ultimately was blamed for the accident which turned nasty with charges laid against him. IIRC his defence against accusations that he should have secured the blades with the rotor brake was that such an application was specifically prohibited in the Flight Manual.

I've searched for a reference without luck, someone else out there may remember the accident and have more accurate details but it never ceases to amaze me the unexpected outcomes of an accident. The pilot was well known and lost a significant amount of money on legal expenses which were unrecoverable as charges were ultimately withdrawn.
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