Originally Posted by
lvgra
...Captain on the left side has 45 years experience in helicopters..
One thing I quickly discovered when I started instructing is that experience is not a reliable measure of competence. Another thing is, older experienced pilots are more likely to fall asleep at the wheel than younger in-experienced pilots. It's when both pilots are asleep at the wheel, whatever their age, that things quickly become perilous, particularly when operating in proximity to unforgiving steel structures. The passengers on that aircraft were lucky. The repair bill for that S92 will be eye-watering.