902 Down in Shanghai

[Life'sShort-FlyFast]

I am led to believe that a MD 902 operating in Shanghai has gone down in the water. Does anyone have any details?

[Joker's Wild]

Am looking in to it right now. Have a very close friend flying a 902 in Shanghai.

Keep checking.

[Sir Cumference]

From what I can gather, the 902 was working on service to ships. There appears to have been a failure of sorts and the machine ended up in the water. Information is skechy but it appears as if the pilot was rescued and sadly he was the only one.

[Joker's Wild]

Shanghai Daily News story with some preliminary details.
Rescuers are searching for two missing people following a helicopter crash in eastern China's Shanghai Port early Thursday.

A MD922 helicopter carrying two Chinese and two foreigners crashed into the mouth of the Yangtze River on Thursday morning after colliding with a Singaporean cargo ship, killing one of those aboard.

The captain of the helicopter, a Canadian, has been rescued, while the other two are still missing.

The East China Sea Rescue Bureau sent two rescue salvaging ships. Despite strong wind and tides, they continued expanding searching scope. By Thursday evening, part of the wreck had been salvaged, but the black box had not yet been found.

The helicopter was being used by the pilot station of the port. It collided with the ship at around 11 a.m. while transporting the ship's pilot. Officials of the Shanghai Municipal Government rushed to the port to handle the affair.

The cause of the accident is still under investigation.

[Heliport]

http://china.tyfo.com/int/travel/map/yangtse.gif

[Captain Catastrophy]

A crew list would be appreciated when / if anyone sees one. :(

[John Eacott]

There was an article in AIN on Gordon and his operation only last month, available online here. (http://www.ainonline.com/issues/01_05/01_05_pilotlyfestyles_75.html)

[Brods]

Terrible News - A VERY Professional Company and A VERY Professional Operation and Crew.

A Very Sad Day and Tragic Event. Sincere Sympathy to the Families of Those Lost and All The Best For A Speedy Recovery to a Very Good Friend!

:(

[Heliport]

Shanghai Daily News Black box found from chopper in ship crash

High-tech scanning equipment has found the black box of the helicopter that crashed on a cargo ship and sank into the deep waterway of the Yangtze River on Thursday.
Authorities said the equipment was brought in from Tianjin, near Beijing.
The helicopter carrying two Chinese and two foreigners hit a Singaporean cargo ship at the mouth of the Yangtze River before falling into the river.
The East China Sea Rescue Bureau rescued the Canadian pilot soon after the mishap and recovered the body of one of the flight crew.
The other two were still missing late last night.
The search for the black box and the missing crew had gone on for more than two days before authorities received signals from the black box early yesterday.
Authorities said it appeared the tail of the helicopter may have broken off after the crash, but the cause of the accident was still under investigation.
Recovery of the black box could help investigators.
The helicopter belonged to Guangdong General Aviation Corporation and was on pilot duty above the deep waterways at the time of the accident.


China View report Crashed helicopter salvaged in Shanghai

SHANGHAI, Feb. 14 (Xinhuanet) -- One body was found Monday morning in the salvaged wreck of a MD902 helicopter that crashed into the Yangtze River mouth after colliding with a Singaporean cargo ship last week, and one person was still missing, rescue organizers said.

The dead was a foreign winch driver.

The MD902 was carrying two Chinese and two foreigners when it collided with the ship at around 11:00 a.m. on Feb. 10 on a mission to transport the ship's pilot. One aboard the helicopter was killed on the spot. The only person that has survived so far is the captain of the helicopter, a Canadian.

The helicopter was hired by the pilot station of Shanghai port.

Rescuers from the Shanghai-based East China Sea Rescue Bureau, the Shanghai Salvage Bureau and the Shanghai Maritime Bureau have worked together for five days to retrieve the crashed helicopter.

They positioned the black box of the helicopter Friday afternoon and spotted the debris Sunday morning.

[Crawls]

As the initial Aircrewman for this operation I have first hand knowledge of the professional manner in which it was carried out.

My Heartfelt Sympathy goes out to all My Friends and their Families who are affected by this Tragedy and to a Very Good Mate, Get Well Soon!!

[Joker's Wild]

Quick update for those who'd like to know, the pilot is doing aok and continues to improve.

No preliminary word yet as to possible cause(s), so will have to be patient for a while longer.

Brods:

Are you who I think you are??? Haven't been seen around the mighty Irish for quite some time, so I'd say you'r due!!!

Cheers

[rotor-rooter]

I understand there are some serious issues with the operating approvals for this operation - or the lack, thereof!

I think we may be hearing more about this.

[Joker's Wild]

My info suggests a very well run operation, with ALL the requisite approvals from the authority.

Perhaps you would like to elaborate RR??? Given my experience operating in China, I would be hard pressed to believe the operation wasn't being run exactly as the CAAC wanted it to.

BTW, the pilot is recovering nicely. :D

[Phoenix Rising]

Rotor Rooter - I actually think you know jack **** about this operation. As long as I have known Vic and Gordie they have run a professional operation there. Yes they have had problems with MD, but who hasnt. In fact they basically used one of the machines as a hangar queen to keep the other operational for whenever it was needed.

In fact Gordie was actually working on the approvals for us to shoot some air to air photos of the 902 but the approvals process is a long and slow one.

Anyway if you want to make insinuations about Gordie and Vic, then put up or piss off.

Jokers Wild - PLease pass on my wishes to Gordie and hope he has a speedy recovery.

Neville

[Joker's Wild]

Neville,

Will happily pass along your best wishes. Once your mailbox has room in it, I'll send you a pm.

Cheers

r-r seems a fitting name considering the content of his posts.