On a long line operation with a MD 500 helicopter i was so stupid but lady luck shined on me...
I was working under time pressure to test equipment with very fast longline circuits over a mountain area.
Over radio my groundman told me that he was sure to listen some "unknown" noises. Stupid i was i told him anything was fine for me and better to shut up and to do his work
(life CRM
) I feeled good, no caution lights or any other problems, no vibrations, ... Wearing a helmet and additional ear protections i couldn't hear any special noise.
2 rotations later (means about 4-5 minutes) this brave man strongly refused to work further with me and this helicopter and was not ready to connect new test tubes to the sling to stop my flying. Allways talked about "uncommon noises".
While hovering above the loading place and really angry discussing with him the engine failed suddenly complete. I was able to bring the ship and myself safe to mother earth. Luckily i was not in to high hover over the one and only flat and clear spot in the whole area suitable for an AR, the sling was unloaded, single person onboard, fuel tank nearly empty.
No question, i paid a lot of beer on the evening (may be a little earlier
) to the ground crew and especially to my lifesafer.
In this case the Allison engine gave us a signal in form of a loud and wailing noise, but i as the pilot wasn't able ( and may be ready??? )to hear it!
After that on an other occasion the groundcrew talked again about noises and i was nearly immediately on ground
but in this case the noise was only a plastic strip trying to leave one of the blades!