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View Full Version : Four Robinson helicopters (R44) crash in Russia.


Heliandrew
5th Oct 2010, 13:36
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I would like to inform the aviation community of the following events.
On August 22 2010 at Aerosouz (an authorized dealer of Robinson Helicopter Company in Russia) airfield in Yakhroma, a Robinson R44 helicopter (reg no. RA-04225 ) crashed during takeoff, catching two adjustant Robinson R44 helicopters (reg. nos. RA-04287 and RA-04256) that were on the ground as well as the hangar.

This was neither an engine malfunction nor a technical glitch - this aviation accident is a result of complete incompetence of the flying personnel of Aerosouz flying club.

At the helm, in the commander’s seat was a passenger weighing 160 kilos (350 pounds), which is strictly prohibited by the operational instructions for this type of the helicopter (Robinson R44), since it prevents the helm wheel grip from being released, which must be done during carriage of passengers. In addition to this violation, the passenger’s weight (350 pounds) amended helicopter’s center of gravity position tilting it forward. Due to that, the control stick got stuck against passenger’s stomach and the helicopter, accelerated with disrupted center of gravity, began its uncontrolled flight forward. Furthermore, the take off was carried out down the wind. Luckily, this event ended with no causalties.

Summing it up, all of the required procedures were violated:

1) Failure to observe weight norms in operation of the airborne vessel.

2) The passenger occupied the wrong seat, where the control stick cannot be released.

3) Lift off was done in violation of the take-off procedures (pilot mistake).


All the above shows total lack of completence of the organization that trains such pilots, uses them and operates high risk equipment.

However, the story does not end there. On July 7 2010, eyewitnesses reported seeing a red helicopter falling down near the village of Kruglino in the Dmitrov region outside of Moscow. Later, these reports were denied and eyewitnesses were called drunks. That is a classical example of covering up problems in Russia.

On August 22, at the place of the accident in Yakhroma was found wreckage of red helicopter without registration numbers, which supposedly crashed on the same day. However, the flight investigation commission determined that during the accident the helicopter was airborne despite it had no right since it hasn’t been registered.

Initially, Aerosouz came up with the story that during the accident with the helicopter no. RA-04225 an unregistered helicopter with serial number 1239 was warming up (check engine) and when the pilot of the second helicopter saw RA-04225 flying straight at him, he decided to take off hard.
But later, when everything was weighed and tallied, they came up with a new story.

Now the event is being classified as a ground accident, although the hangar has been damaged at the height of 10 m, which means that the helicopter fell down from at least this height.

The goals of the flying club’s owner seem clear. He obviously seeks to collect insurance payments and wash his hands clean from the harsh violations of the procedures of helicopter operation.

Nowadays Aerosouz is continuing to cover up the accident by paing bribes with aim to collect insurance payment.

So to sum up the two events we have a covered up flight accident, falsification of facts of the accident, insurance fraud, forgery and attempts to bribing the aviation authorities.
It is also possible that the reason for covering up the first accident of 7th July was human
causalties that were not reported.

Another story from the past for the finish.
About two years ago, Andrei Vinogradov, at that time a flight student, was learning how to pilot Robinson R44 helicopter with instructor from Aerosouz using his own helicopter reg. no RA-04201. During the course training the helicopter had an accident and could not be restored. In such a case all the responsibility naturally lies on the flying club. Vinogradov was initially promised a compensation, but later he was rudely dismissed. Aerosouz management has never reported this accident to the competent authorities.
As Andrei Vinogradov: “Pilot called for assitance. The first thing that the Aerosouz assistance
crew did is remove all Aerosouz signs from the hull, collected the debris and covered the remains
of the helicopter with tarpouline. It brough me back to the images of helicopter crash of banker Artiom Kupitko
that took place in July on same year. Aerosouz informed me that they are taking the responsibility for the accident and will refund me the cost of my destroyed helicopter. Later, however they denied that the accident happended at all. Despite long negotiation with the president of Aerosouz, I have received no complensation
whatsover. (extracts from the interview of Andrey Vinogradov to “Sobesednik” newspaper ??????? ??-?????? | ??????????.?? (http://www.sobesednik.ru/incident/padeniya-po-tikhomu))

Other official incidents involving Aerosouz:

2005, Unregistered helicopter

Helicopter Robinson R44 was flying to the advertising photo shoot in the Dmitrov district. For the purposes of the shoot the pilot was flying low above the water and was caught in the power transmission lines. Nobody was harmed. The helicopter’s blades and tailbeam were damaged, the blades were replaced.

February 18, 2006, Unregistered helicopter

Helicopter Robinson R44 was flying in the Dmitrov district of the Moscow Region. The pilot descended on MMV and while making a turn with a heavy tilt touched the ground with the blades. The helicopter was destroyed, everybody was safe.

March 2007, AON

Helicopter Robinson R44 collided with the power transmission lines over Valgo Lake near the Peno settlement in Tver Region. No casualties reported. The helicopter’s blades were damaged and replaced.

June 30, 2007 ROSTO

Helicopter RobinsonR44, owned by Aerosouz (registration ROSTO with the Kaluga Flight School) took off from the Sorochany airfield in the Dmitrov district of Moscow Region with a private pilot and two passengers. 15 minutes after take off, near the village of Olgino, 7 km away from the town of Yakhroma, the helicopter was caught in power transmission lines. The helicopter burned down, the pilot was unharmed, but the passenger suffered injuries and were taken to the hospital.

November 18, 2007, AON

Helicopter RobinsonR44 was making a practice flight in the Moscow Region. The wind was abrupt with velocity of up to 14 m/s. There helicopter had one student and one instructor on board. After nose-down landing aslope, the helicopter began to slide back and trying to prevent the shift, the pilot released control stick away from himself. Rotor wind sock touched the slope, the helicopter capcized to the site and rolled down the slope. The helicopter was destroyed, no casualties.

February 17, 2008, AON

In broad daylight and good weather conditions Robinson R44 RA-04226 helicopter owned by A. Zenishchev crashed down in the Novousmansky district of Voronezh Region. The flight director of LLC Aviacom E. Ignatiev took off from the “Beach” flying pad, which is not designed for such flights, without permission of the flight authorities and without radio communication. During the corse of the flight the first pilot did not check the remaining fuel and only when the emergency signal went off, he decided to land at pad chosen from air next to a gas station. Considering his low professional level, the pilot failed to determine that the the ground covered by snow had a slope. As a result, during landing, the helicopter’s nose touched the ground, rotor blades and the tailbeam were damaged. The helicopter capcized. Nobody was harmed. The helicopter was evacuated from the site of accident and the incident was covered up. Ignatiev flew the helicopter without permission to fly as first pilot and only had the certificate of first class pilot of commercial aviation, which has no legal validity (there was no theoretical preparation and he didn’t undergo the retraining program, permission to fly as first pilot was certified with illegitimate seal and the hours necessary to pass the course were simply written in with no actual flying taking place).

Summer 2008, AON

Helicopter Robinson R44 was taking off from the ground in Moscow Region. As per eyewitnesses accounts the helicopter was overloaded. There were four people on board as well as a full load of fuel and luggage. The lift-off was supposed to take place outside of the ground affected zone with subsequent flight over the fence. Upon take off the helicopter went into a spin, probably because the of the over load on the engine, and it began descending on the fence. The pilot (plane test pilot) was unable to descend at the open space and the helicopter hit the fence with its tailbeam. The helicopter was destroyed, nobody was injured.

September 2008

Helicopter Robinson R44, owned by the Belaya Dacha agricultural complex, was taking off from Aerosouz helipad at the Volen park in Moscow Region with pilot Yezhikov and one passenger on board. During hovering the front right door has opened. As per the passenger's evidence, the pilot took control stick into his left hand and attempted to close the door with his right. The helicopter capcized and was destroyed, those on board were not harmed.

July 2010, no information on registration

Training flight on helicopter Robinson R44 was taking place at the Volen helipad in Moscow region. During the start of windmill, the instructor mixed up the direction of propelling correction and fully opened the butterfly plate, causing engine to significantly surpass the permissable rpm resulting in strong vibrations. The pilot turned correction to the other end but most likely was unable to set the parameters before touching the ground. The landing was rough, the helicopter capcized to the side and was destroyed, no casualties.

P1DRIVER
5th Oct 2010, 16:16
So your point is????

Sounds to me they are having a few teething problems, they,ll work them out with experience.

tony 1969
5th Oct 2010, 17:10
"teething problems ??"

you sir are a master of understatement;)

Soave_Pilot
5th Oct 2010, 17:23
It all comes down to lack of training. And some cases stupidity.:}

Gemini Twin
5th Oct 2010, 17:51
No I agree it's just teething problems!:}

ShyTorque
5th Oct 2010, 17:56
But apart from these minor issues, would you recommend them? :confused:

Phoinix
5th Oct 2010, 18:31
Seems like someone's temper couldn't hold the last drop of water and wanted to come clean with the heli community? I know how that feels...

newfieboy
5th Oct 2010, 18:59
Bloody hell, think the CHL positions in the Stan, will be a walk in the park, and safer.Keep those losses up and you will soon outdo Bomber Command........circa 39-45.....:D

moscovite
5th Oct 2010, 19:47
andrew

If you are very concerned for this you must follow up with FAA. If you want to save life in future you must pay someone in FAA to hear your case and they make check on the flying school for you.

the fact is this - you cannot fly the american robertson like normal helicopter it is senstivity to weight and balance not like ours and as you can see it is also to small - this is the main problem.

If you want private helicopter we can arrange good price on used Mil with full overhaul.

безопасный полет