crash 29 oct Saudi
anyone more details? civ or mil and type?
Saudi authorities have launched an investigation into the crash of a Civil Defense helicopter in Al-Ramlah desert, 140 km south of Al-Aflaj, during a rescue operation on Sunday. The team was on a mission to rescue an elderly man who got stranded when his vehicle broke down in the middle of the desert.
Probe Ordered Into Ramlah Copter Crash
Saeed Al-Abyad, Arab News
JEDDAH, 1 November 2006 — Saudi authorities have launched an investigation into the crash of a Civil Defense helicopter in Al-Ramlah desert, 140 km south of Al-Aflaj, during a rescue operation on Sunday. The team was on a mission to rescue an elderly man who got stranded when his vehicle broke down in the middle of the desert.
An official source told Arab News that in accordance with civil aviation rules, a specialized committee is investigating the crash. The pilot and his crew have been summoned to testify. According to the source, the helicopter was worth more than SR70 million.
The source said preliminary reports attributed the crash to bad weather and the failure by the pilot to adequately evaluate the risk factors especially as the operation was carried out during the night.
According to Civil Defense regulations, in night operations the decision-making is left to the pilot, who decides the feasibility of a mission, the weather conditions and whether the crew would be at risk or not. Pilots can potentially be suspended if found to be at fault in sizing up the situation.
The crew, which included Col. Tayyar Al-Shammari, Capt. Dr. Amran, Lt. Adel Al-Fahd, flight engineer Abdullah Al-Hoshan and photographer Nasser Al-Dowsary, managed to eject before the crash.
The helicopter was said to be of a technologically advanced variety specially designed for evacuation and rescue missions.