Alo down on N3??

[canthover]

News reports coming in of an Alo down on the N3 outside Harrismith. ANy info on this - hope the occupants are all OK. Apparently the traffic is jammed up as all passing traffic are taking a peek at the wreckage. Breakfast at the Engen One Stop???

[Deanw]

Canthover, more than you know! The Ally was returning from an excercise in the Drakensburg with two Oryx (Orii?) when the Oryx heard that the Ally went down. Apparently, the Oryx did not have enough fuel to go to the crash site, so they had to carry on to Bloemspruit and refuel.

From News24:


Helicopter crew 'showing off'
18/03/2005

Harrismith - Four aircrew have survived an SA Air Force helicopter crash outside the Bergview Engen One-Stop in Harrismith on Friday morning, emergency services said.

"Two people suffered minor injuries and the other two are fine," fire chief Mohlahoana Mokwena told Sapa.

The two had been taken to a nearby hospital.

The Alouette III helicopter went down next to the N3 highway between Durban and Johannesburg.

SA National Defence Force spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Louis Kirstein confirmed that the aircraft, based at Bloemspruit Air Force Base in Bloemfontein "made a forced landing outside Harrismith. A board of inquiry has been convened."

The helicopter was apparently giving a flight display to spectators after the crew had stopped for take-aways at the centre's Wimpy restaurant, a witness to the crash told Sapa.

"The chopper took a drive around and went sideways ... it just missed some trees ... then it turned around and went to the ground ... and went up suddenly again but lost power," said Jean Smith, maintenance manager at Bergview.

"I think they tried to show off," he said.

The helicopter then crashed around 100m from the complex, on the other side of the N3.

"One blade hit a car on the freeway and spinned into the complex where there were about 60 kids in the playground.

"The blade landed inside the animal farm (adjacent to the playground)."

Smith said one of the crew complained of a sore back while the other three were walking around.

Asked about the accounts of its last flight, Kirstein said that would probably be part of the inquiry.

The Alouette III range of helicopters have been in service with the SAAF for the last 40 years.

They are due for replacement under government's controversial multi-billion rand arms deal

[Rhodie]

Looks like the ZimBobwe style training is kicking in already...

:{ :mad:

R

[ANVAK]

Nope - looks like a case of too much testosterone.
Impromptu airshows have never impressed anyone, especially not those who have to clean up the mess afterwards.
Don't point fingers too hastily...just remember how many Harvard wrecks were dotted around the mealie fields under the old regime's training:hmm:
At least no-one appears to have been seriously hurt in this one.:D

[krobar]

Appears to be another case of the media helping their story out with some sensatianalism.
The details provided are so sketchy, and yet after reading it, theses pilots sound like satan's little helpers. If so few reliable facts are known, maybe the reporter should have reserved judgement.
If there were so many people arround, perhaps they could have found a more discriptive story. An Alo driving around could mean more than one thing...

[4HolerPoler]

http://www.news24.com/Images/Photos/20050318132858crash.jpg

Eina!

4HP

[4HolerPoler]

Another picture - these guys are lucky to be alive.

http://www.news24.com/Images/Photos/2005031820270218_helicoptercrash.jpg

4HP

[Captain Pheremone]

Been there done that......just never got to eat the pizza.

Hey!!!!! rule no1....don't judge the "devils" till we know what actually happened. Heli-MacMurphy states if something can go wrong it will.

Maybe someone from the SAAF with more gen can enlighten us?????????

[ANVAK]

Pure speculation on my part, but looking at the flattened position of the main gear the Alo hit right side up first and then had some dynamic roll-over? As you say 4HP, they are very lucky!

[126,7]

Just to show you what tricks the guys all get up to. Trying to impress the chicks like this Aussie crew!
Pic is courtesy of Rotorheads.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v243/fredman747/AussieArmy.jpg

[Captain Pheremone]

Now thats my style!!!!!!!!!!

Believe they also got into a bit of guana...hope it all worked out OK.

[Gunship]

Eischhh they where damn lucky.

I was driving between Brandvlei and Upington and heard about the accident on OFM (Oranje FM nogal boet).

They also made it to be a " air display that went wrong" .

Krowbar - lekker to see you on board :ok:

Any new news ?

[Gunship]

Erika Gibson (who else ?)

Pretoria - An Alouette helicopter flight crew is in "deep trouble" if
reports by witnesses prove true, said a former air-force helicopter
instructor on Friday.

The air force confirmed on Friday that an Alouette from the Bloemspruit
airbase, where the air force's helicopter-flying school is based, had had to
make a "forced landing" outside Harrismith.

Two of the four crew on board were lightly injured. A commission of inquiry
will determine the cause of the accident.

The former instructor said: "Every flight is noted in an authorisation book.
According to this, the route, minimum height and any manoeuvres are
authorised according to specific guidelines.

"No authorisation will provide for a landing to buy take-aways.

"And, if it's true that the pilot gave the people on the ground a small air
show, the helicopter commander is in even bigger trouble.

Manoeuvres or shows can take place only under specific circumstances with a
minimum height restriction and not in built-up areas.

"If it appears a commander has deviated from the authorised route, he or she
might be fined or a count of reckless or negligent behaviour placed on his
or her flying record.

"He or she will probably also not be allowed to fly in the near future - at
least until a commission of inquiry has been completed.

"If a commander was an instructor of a helicopter-flying school and the
helicopter was on a training flight, his transgression would be viewed in an
even-more serious light.

"This is when he or she is teaching a student how to fly and how not to fly.

"There are no pills against stupidity. No pilot is allowed to be in contempt
of flight safety - especially if the public is put in danger.

"An unforeseen problem can very easily end in disaster for a cowboy
performance.

The instructor said: "If the guys did what the witnesses claim, they need to
be made an example of."

Edited by Iaine Harper