Originally Posted by
eko4me
In the modern street environment there is much use of high intensity discharge lighting. Could it be that the eye witnesses were deceived and there was indeed significant rotation prior to impact with a resultant degree of control – it was just hidden by the 50Hz lighting?
Unfortunately the damage pattern does seem to match quite well to a decent with little to no RRPM:
Nose low (Damage pattern of cabin), Retreating Blade side first (left side skid bent up and airframe damaged more than right side of Helicopter) impact with quite significant energy, Rotorblades + Fenestron showing almost no signs of rotation upon impact.
If you compare the cabin to the one of the Netherlands EC130 mentioned a few Posts earlier which impacted solid ground at 1800 ft/min (>20g) and looking at the cabin in this instance after having impacted a much softer strúcture I'm afraid it came down quite rapidly (pretty sure >2000 ft/min) with very little rotor energy.
For whatever reason.