Machine down in Chiang Mai

[Cyclic Hotline]

Any idea what type this is?

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2021099/helicopter-carrying-deputy-governor-lands-in-flamesHelicopter carrying deputy governor lands in flamesPUBLISHED : 17 NOV 2020 AT 17:37

WRITER: PHANUMET TANRAKSA (http://search.bangkokpost.com/search/result_advanced?category=news&columnistName=Phanumet+Tanraksa)

https://static.bangkokpost.com/media/content/20201117/c1_2021099_201117171027.jpg Smoke pours from the burning helicopter after it made an emergency landing in a school field in Mae Chaem district, Chiang Mai province, after developing engine trouble on Tuesday afternoon. The 11 people on board, including Chiang Mai deputy governor Samroeng Chaisen, escaped unhurt. (Photo: Phamumet Tanraksa)CHIANG MAI: A helicopter with 11 people onboard, including the deputy provincial governor, burst into flames as it made an emergency landing in a school field in Mae Chaem district on Tuesday afternoon. Nobody was hurt.

The field was at Ban Khun Mae Yod School in tambon Mae Suek, an area adjoining Mae Hong Son's Khun Yuam district.

Initial reports said the helicopter had developed engine trouble. A fire broke out in the engine housing as it landed. and was fanned by a strong wind.

Smoke billowed from the craft as deputy governor Samroeng Chaisen and the 10 other people on board, including crew, fled to safety.

Mr Samroeng was on an official trip to Mae Chaem district.

The time of the incident, full extent of the damage and other details were not immediately available.

Boonlue Thamtharanurak, the Mae Chaem district chief, medical staff and other officials were en route to the school where the helicopter landed.

[Nubian]

Any idea what type this is?

I'd say a 212 with no tail-rotor and ''really really low skids''

[gulliBell]

I'd say the full extent of the damage is abundantly clear from that photo....

[Ascend Charlie]

It seems he came in a bit hot...

[sycamore]

Thought it maybe a Robbo.....even with 11 Thais on board.....

[Tickle]

Definitely looks like a 212.

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1000x499/212_c16716c09880723e4397e062822bd2371e1582d4.jpg

[gulliBell]

Something very odd going on there if two fire bottles can't put out an inflight engine fire. Also, most of the fire is forward of the engine bay. Makes me wonder if the engine was on fire or there was an electrical fire in the cabin roof.

[nowherespecial]

Only operators of B212 in Thailand are Police, Navy and Army from memory with Army having a large fleet.

[212man]

Something very odd going on there if two fire bottles can't put out an inflight engine fire. Also, most of the fire is forward of the engine bay. Makes me wonder if the engine was on fire or there was an electrical fire in the cabin roof.

Here’s another example not engine related: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/733515/Griffin_Final_Report_-_RT.pdf

[Cyclic Hotline]

Excited! The helicopter "Deputy Governor of Chiang Mai" crashes while landing. 06:18 | 18 November 2020 | 293https://news.thaipbs.or.th/media/G0DL5oPyrtt5HBAi4sDE10Ab9Dv7EihKeKbEMZOc5h9Jk4H6gYr9sW.jpg
The incident of helicopter incident, Deputy Governor of Chiang Mai Province Crashes while landing in Mae Chaem District, Chiang Mai Province causing a cabin fire Three people were injured.Yesterday (17 Nov 2020) at approximately 3:00 p.m., the Chiang Mai Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office, Hod branch, received a helicopter crash notification while landing. In the area of ​​Ban Khun Mae Yot School, Moo 9, Mae Suek Sub-district, Mae Chaem District, Chiang Mai Province
https://news.thaipbs.or.th/media/TSNBg3wSBdng7ijM8GovRhqVGISRvRYy7ZurEmHHphO.png
https://news.thaipbs.or.th/media/TSNBg3wSBdng7ijM8GovRhqVGISRvRaeORVxRvP9hfJ.pngInitially examined, it was found that it was a helicopter of the Sam Roeng Chaiyasen, Deputy Governor of Chiang Mai Province, with 11 people traveling in one third of the helicopters to carry out missions in the area. But while the helicopter was landing, it was windy. The main cause until the fire cabin has been injured, 3 people no death. After rescuers and related agencies have entered the inspection and rescue area.
https://news.thaipbs.or.th/media/TSNBg3wSBdng7ijM8GovRhqVGISRvReYkzLHnjIbEXn.png
https://news.thaipbs.or.th/media/TSNBg3wSBdng7ijM8GovRhqVGISRvRKkRLERsqLJyNV.png

[Nescafe]

That’s cleared it up.

[gulliBell]

I'd be surprised if being windy accounts for what we see in the photo, this aircraft had an in-flight technical problem. Unless the pilot misjudged his clearance from that hill and whacked it. The engine area looks relatively intact. Maybe the fire started in the cabin roof, perhaps a rotor brake fire? No reason to land where they did and end up flattening the skids and chopping off the tail boom or whacking the hill. The MRB on the right side is pointing the wrong way, opposite to the direction of rotation, I never see that before. Maybe the blade did whack the hill. Sad to see the demise of a real helicopter.

[havick]

Something very odd going on there if two fire bottles can't put out an inflight engine fire. Also, most of the fire is forward of the engine bay. Makes me wonder if the engine was on fire or there was an electrical fire in the cabin roof.

I’d be curious to see the position of the engine start switch if it turns out to be an electrical fire.

[Ascend Charlie]

If he left the START on, wouldn't he then be unable to bring the Gen on line, and have some GEN OUT captions? It's a while since I flew 212/412 and brain is a little foggy.

[212man]

If he left the START on, wouldn't he then be unable to bring the Gen on line, and have some GEN OUT captions? It's a while since I flew 212/412 and brain is a little foggy.

I think you are correct, however I would say that any reference to engine fire is misplaced as the engines compartment appears to be almost untouched!

[Old Farang]

Only operators of B212 in Thailand are Police, Navy and Army from memory with Army having a large fleet.

It has Royal Thai Airforce roundel on the tail boom. They never release any details of accidents here.

[megan]

Perhaps a repeat of the accident pointed out by 212man, the engine problem reported could have been a lack of drive, the landing location and whacking the hill the end result of an auto, sitting on the belly symptomatic of a hard arrival? If as OF says there will be no report all we can do is daydream.

[gulliBell]

Maybe the abrupt arrival caused the main transmission to be dislodged and somehow ruptured a fuel line. Even so, if faced with a lack of drive you'd think they would have rolled off the throttles and turned off the fuel boost pumps before landing. So there would be very little fuel to burn upstream of the fuel tank. But there would still need to be an ignition source. It's pretty difficult to set fire to kerosene even if you put a match to it. Another observation, the fire burned all the way through the cabin floor and fair chance compromised the fuel cells. In which case I'm very surprised the whole thing wasn't consumed by fire. Couldn't have been very much fuel in those tanks.

[albatross]

I saw a takeoff incident of a 212 once.... long line grabbed ahold of a sturdy fence. The belly hook was yanked backwards and tore out the interconnect between the left and right tanks. Lots of fuel on the ground but no fire fortunately..

[megan]

Gulli, go to page 1.4 - 74 of 212man's report and you can see how events can unfold. The fire in this case is remarkably similar to that in the report, so similar as to be called the same.

[gulliBell]

I had read that, as I mentioned above a disrupted pressurized fuel pipe as a result of a shunted main transmission might lead to a fuel fed fire. If only for an ignition source. For the damage seen in that 212 main rotor head they obviously hit something more substantial than the tail boom.