Originally Posted by
dogsridewith
Just on ABC TV. Lateral motion brought the spin rate down substantially. At max spin, a return to ground would have risked a nasty contact between stretcher and surface features?
Hence the need to winch out as well - the further the stretcher from the helicopter, the less the effect of the downwash - the crew chief said the rate of rotation reduced when they winched out but then they winched in again and it span faster!
With reduced spin rate the chances of one of the ground party being able to control the stretcher are increased - no need to actually put it on the ground.
They should have put the stretcher back down as soon as it was apparent that the tag line/hi-line wasn't working.