S92 vs bridge, bridge wins

[helicrazi]

S92 vs Bridge (https://www.wbrz.com/news/helicopter-gets-jammed-under-interstate-overpass-in-denham-springs)


DENHAM SPRINGS - A vehicle towing a helicopter got stuck under the Range Avenue overpass Friday morning when the helicopter jammed.

Photos showed the helicopter on top of a towing trailer wedged under the overpass itself. It appeared the craft's rotor collided with a support beam on the underside of the bridge.

The Department of Transportation examined the overpass' structure and did not anticipate any shutdowns would be necessary. The Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office was also on scene working to resolve the situation.

Range Avenue was fully reopened shortly after 10:30 a.m. after the helicopter was removed. DOTD says there is no indication the bridge sustained any structural damage at that the interstate would not be impacted.

While officials have not released details on the aircraft involved, it appeared to resemble a Sikorsky S-92 (https://bjtonline.com/aircraft/sikorsky-s-92). Fresh from the production line, the helicopter goes for nearly $30 million.
It's unclear where the aircraft was heading or whether the driver will be ticketed for the crash.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/854x480/img_1412_ef50e4a7c87298d28d0395ecf3069308d8db036f.jpeg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/854x480/img_1411_fabece5a2bb1e8a18755d6d5cb9cce414d8b2170.jpeg

[tonkaplonka]

Ouch!! Worlds fastest MGB removal! That’s a write off I’d say! Bits of frame attached to the box still. Would be good to see with the covers off.

[SASless]

There shall be an interesting back story to this event.

Transporting oversized loads is a very common practice done every day for all sorts of items.

There is a thing called a load stick.....that Drivers use to measure the vertical height of the loaded trailer.

Oversized loads (in most States) require a permit from the State that sets forth the exact route the Trucker is to follow, and all of the bridges have a Standard (and measured height).

The State's that do. not specify the route do declare what minimum heights for particular roadways are....and the Trucker. has to carefully choose his route.

All that being said...road way surface and any loading of the bridge structure such as a train can make a critical difference when there is scant clearance....sometimes you have to reduce tire pressure to make it under.

Some insurance company is going to be investigating this event very carefully looking for a way out.

The first photo in this article is pretty suggestive of the damage.

https://www.wafb.com/2023/09/22/officials-remove-helicopter-stuck-underneath-overpass-all-lanes-back-open/

[212man]

Ouch!! Worlds fastest MGB removal! That’s a write off I’d say! Bits of frame attached to the box still. Would be good to see with the covers off.
Yep - got to be a write off!

[MechEngr]

Odd - Google maps clearly shows a 15' sign on the bridge for the opposite side lanes exactly where the unpainted spot is above the helicopter.

https://www.google.com/maps/@30.4544522,-90.9564676,3a,15y,364.27h,90.47t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1szU9MSCvXsGgProURrGWf_A!2e0!7i16384!8i819 2?entry=ttu

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/860x696/helo_eating_bridge_c380dbdc6d4c543c156fbeef5e1c96f0091a60ee. png

Shame on the driver or dispatcher for not checking the route - there are maps, but someone took down a critical warning sign.

The state DoT has been very very bad for a long time. It was there during construction in 2011, but gone by 2015.

[tdracer]

You're assuming the driver was on his approved route.
A little over 40 years ago, GE was shipping one of the calibrated and fully instrumented CF6-80A engines going to be installed on the first GE powered 767-200.
The driver took a little detour from the approved route so he could 'visit' his lady friend. Sure enough, he hit a overpass with that multi-million dollar CF6 engine.
Quite a bit of scrambling to get another engine instrumented and calibrated to support the 767 flight test program.
Never heard what happened to the truck driver, although I suspect he had to find a new profession... Writing off a multi-million dollar aircraft engine tends to do nasty things to your insurance rates.

[Unregistered_]

I find it incredible that having a $10m load on the back (or any load for that matter) that this could happen. I would have wing walkers at every overpass..even knowing it will fit. "...umm, I'm not sure. Stopping" Amazing. :D

[jimjim1]

If it bleeds, it leads.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/600x800/cm4r3wtj3revlnot65nilpltx4_902bd08aa5783a4246495f6eae24f1f2f 0204e47.jpg

[Blackhawk9]

Blue paint job , looks to be a Bristow machine with a lump of the fwd main beam still attached to the MGB, alloy main beam so pre S/N 244, won't need to do 150 hrly insp now, should help a little with parts shortages :ok:.

[ORAC]

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1280x720/image_166cc350a7a9dd04fec1e0be7dcb352cf57f8b78.jpeg

[helihub]

MechEngr - check the press images (eg the town mane in the green sign) and you’ll find it was travelling under the bridge from the opposite direction, where there is no height restriction sign on GSV (interesting from a potential court case point of view)

Also, another airframe waiting on an S92 rotor head, potentially- but the airframe damage may ace that in the insurance assessment as suggested in other posts


Odd - Google maps clearly shows a 15' sign on the bridge for the opposite side lanes exactly where the unpainted spot is above the helicopter.

https://www.google.com/maps/@30.4544522,-90.9564676,3a,15y,364.27h,90.47t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1szU9MSCvXsGgProURrGWf_A!2e0!7i16384!8i819 2?entry=ttu

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/860x696/helo_eating_bridge_c380dbdc6d4c543c156fbeef5e1c96f0091a60ee. png

Shame on the driver or dispatcher for not checking the route - there are maps, but someone took down a critical warning sign.

The state DoT has been very very bad for a long time. It was there during construction in 2011, but gone by 2015.

[teeteringhead]

"It'll buff out Sir and do a trip...."

[OvertHawk]

It amazes me that in this day and age there is not a radar sensor (akin to a parking sensor) on the top of all trucks , buses etc that scans ahead and shrieks if it sees a height hazard (in the case of a truck it would need to be programmed with the height of the load obviously).

Similarly - I'm surprised that bridges that have been hit multiple times are not fitted with a similar system that would flash big red lights and klaxons if it sees something too big coming towards it.

[BTC8183]

Although a lot of S-92's seem to get transported by road all the time, by coincidence the oldest production example (G-VIND 92006) has recently been deregistered and exported to USA!

It is a rumour network after all....

[gsa]

It amazes me that in this day and age there is not a radar sensor (akin to a parking sensor) on the top of all trucks , buses etc that scans ahead and shrieks if it sees a height hazard (in the case of a truck it would need to be programmed with the height of the load obviously).

Similarly - I'm surprised that bridges that have been hit multiple times are not fitted with a similar system that would flash big red lights and klaxons if it sees something too big coming towards it.

A good truck satnav will do it all for you, you just need to be bright enough to measure the height of the load and put it in.

[helicrazi]

Although a lot of S-92's seem to get transported by road all the time, by coincidence the oldest production example (G-VIND 92006) has recently been deregistered and exported to USA!

It is a rumour network after all....

Real shame if its VIND, thats no way to retire

[Bravo73]

Blue paint job , looks to be a Bristow machine

…by coincidence the oldest production example (G-VIND 92006) has recently been deregistered and exported to USA!

Real shame if its VIND, thats no way to retire


The Avincis paint jobs were primarily blue, with white and gold details, weren’t they?

[wrench1]

The rumor is the truck was not on its approved route. And given its itinerary maybe the driver stopped for an unscheduled pit-stop? The other rumor is it was on its way to have work done at a shop in LFT. Whether it was 92006 don't know. But if it is then its more a homecoming as 92006 was the launch S/N and started life as N192PH. Ironically it spent months in the hangar years ago for a non-standard repair after it caught fire on the ground and melted most of the control quadrant on the roof. Never thought it would fly after that one. Will be interesting to see how it fares after this one.

[helicrazi]

The Avincis paint jobs were primarily blue, with white and gold details, weren’t they?

Yes, ND:

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1280x872/69208_1642026549_f8534240de8ea5f00581de836b219d5964cddb2b.jp g

[212man]

The rumor is the truck was not on its approved route. And given its itinerary maybe the driver stopped for an unscheduled pit-stop? The other rumor is it was on its way to have work done at a shop in LFT. Whether it was 92006 don't know. But if it is then its more a homecoming as 92006 was the launch S/N and started life as N192PH. Ironically it spent months in the hangar years ago for a non-standard repair after it caught fire on the ground and melted most of the control quadrant on the roof. Never thought it would fly after that one. Will be interesting to see how it fares after this one.

it also silent a lot of time in the hangar after delivery, as the PR value of announcing first delivery outweighed the fact it wasn’t operationally ready! In reality, 92007 (G-LAWX) was the first in service.

[MechEngr]

MechEngr - check the press images (eg the town mane in the green sign) and you’ll find it was travelling under the bridge from the opposite direction, where there is no height restriction sign on GSV (interesting from a potential court case point of view)

Also, another airframe waiting on an S92 rotor head, potentially- but the airframe damage may ace that in the insurance assessment as suggested in other posts

Yes - I pointed that out - the photo showed that the bridge was marked in one direction and I also mentioned it was built with the restriction sign in place but that sign was removed and never replaced. Lack of a sign should have been a red flag to check.

[MechEngr]

It amazes me that in this day and age there is not a radar sensor (akin to a parking sensor) on the top of all trucks , buses etc that scans ahead and shrieks if it sees a height hazard (in the case of a truck it would need to be programmed with the height of the load obviously).

Similarly - I'm surprised that bridges that have been hit multiple times are not fitted with a similar system that would flash big red lights and klaxons if it sees something too big coming towards it.
In the case of the 11 foot 8 bridge (since raised to 12 foot 4) they did install all manner of anti-collision warnings. A height detector would trigger the traffic light before the bridge to go red, a text sign would flash the message to take the turn available before the bridge, and multiple signs along the road leading to the bridge mentioned the height restriction. Often the result was putting the pedal to the floor to beat the red light on the yellow. They would hit the black and yellow striped steel guard beam anyway.

Most of those hitting the beam are drivers of rental vehicles who likely never before had a concern about vehicle height so they seem to have no idea that any warning might apply to them.

See https://11foot8.com/ for more entertainment. AFAIK I have seen only one injury crash which i attribute to failure to wear a seatbelt and the passenger finding the dashboard, which is sad. For the remainder - absolute agony to the wallet of the driver or owner of the vehicle and a powerful lesson to read signs warning of danger.

[WHBM]

... check the press images (eg the town name in the green sign) and you’ll find it was travelling under the bridge from the opposite direction, where there is no height restriction sign on GSV (interesting from a potential court case point of view)

Established law, certainly in the UK, is the roads are "as you find them". It is up to drivers to negotiate them adequately. Advisory signs, and all the rest of the infrastructure provided, may be useful, but there is nothing incumbent on the highway authority to provide anything specific.

[tonkaplonka]

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1024x768/be3176b9_4c4f_4bd7_b870_afefff846420_9846af6e0eb0d521e34c48c 63c7c194d06dbc6c1.jpeg
I don’t think it’s VIND. OHS machines have a white oil cooler panel.

[BTC8183]

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1024x768/be3176b9_4c4f_4bd7_b870_afefff846420_9846af6e0eb0d521e34c48c 63c7c194d06dbc6c1.jpeg
I don’t think it’s VIND. OHS machines have a white oil cooler panel.

Yes, you are correct Tonkaplonka, that panel was/is white on a Avincis scheme. That hue of blue, does look, as usually associated with BRS.
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/566x320/img_0022_01_5cc825148efa4fa63e7583ca6d64034433179176.jpeg

[tdracer]

Ten years ago, an oversized load struck a 'fracture critical' through-truss design bridge on I-5 north of Seattle - causing the bridge to almost immediately collapse (the truck in question managed to make it off the bridge, but a few other vehicles were not so fortunate and fell into the water - fortunately without serious injury to the occupants).
Seems that the bridge had adequate clearance in the left lane, but not in the right lane - the (required) pilot car failed to notify the truck driver, and traffic in the left lane prevented the truck from moving into that lane.

[Copterdoc]

Blue paint job , looks to be a Bristow machine with a lump of the fwd main beam still attached to the MGB, alloy main beam so pre S/N 244, won't need to do 150 hrly insp now, should help a little with parts shortages :ok:.

Wrong, not Bristow. I’m sure no one else ever used Blue on a helicopter. Since when does Bristow have a patent on Blue paint?

[whoknows idont]

I imagine the deforming rotor head peeled the clearance sign off of the bridge.

[SASless]

If it bleeds, it leads.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/600x800/cm4r3wtj3revlnot65nilpltx4_902bd08aa5783a4246495f6eae24f1f2f 0204e47.jpg



Looking at this photo it appears the trailer is straddling the "Fog Line" which is the right most travel lane marking. Anything to the outside of that is not considered a travel lane and height markings do not apply to the vertical space above the "breakdown lane" which is the paved surface to the outsides of the travel lanes.

When you obtain a Permit from the Louisiana DOT, there is a paragraph that frees the State from any liability and places all responsibility and liability upon the Permit Holder.

Skip down to page 17 and start your reading from there if you care to know what the Regulations have to say for oversized load operations in Louisiana.

http://wwwsp.dotd.la.gov/Business/LaGeaux_Docs/Rules%20and%20Regulations.pdf

[MechEngr]

SASless, after hitting the bridge he was moving to the shoulder but likely stopped due to the continuing sound of damage. The state won't be liable for these damages but the management of the DOTD are liable, independently, for failure to mark the overpass to the legislature that passed the laws requiring the overpass be marked, and will possibly get some hassle from the Feds for failure to comply with Federal highway requirements as that overpass is built, in part, with Federal funding.

whoknows idont, as I pointed out about the link to Google maps, one can get photos going back more than a decade; the sign has been missing since at least 2015, if not a few years earlier, but was there in 2011 when it was built. Living far north of Louisiana it is distracting to see the bridge has not been painted in 22 years, but then I realize they have not applied 22 tons of salt to de-ice that bridge in that same time. Up here that bridge would have some holes and been repainted to keep the rust in the shape of the bridge.

[FH1100 Pilot]

It's not a "fog line" (although those would come in handy in Louisiana) and it's not a breakdown lane or shoulder. It's a regular lane of travel. "Street View" it. The driver was headed westbound on I-12 and apparently got off there at Exit 10. I'm guessing that he was maybe headed to the Pilot truck stop which is just on the other side of that overpass on the right hand (west) side of that road. One of the "experts" on the JH board testifies that the ship is not from Bristow, nor is it SN92006. We are lucky that such pompous, self-proclaimed experts abound on the internet (although fortunately not many on *this* board).

[Robbiee]

While on break one day at Fedex, I decided to go to the local Indian Casino for a slice of pizza for lunch. I like to park in the garage, but wasn't sure if my cargo van would clear the entrance, so I went around back, and parked outside.

Seriously, being a truck driver isn't rocket science. :suspect:

[60FltMech]

I just can’t imagine how hard it would have had to hit the bridge to do that much damage. Incredible.

I wonder if any settlement will take into account availability of a replacement, my understanding is there aren’t a lot of s-92 airframes available?

Very bad day for the truck driver..

FltMech

[MechEngr]

There is a lot of energy in a tractor-trailer, probably 35,000 pounds going 40 mph. It didn't even seem to leave a mark on the bridge. There is a lot of leverage in a direction that I suspect won't happen except in a crash.

I saw the immediate aftermath of a bridge hit by a truck carrying a 40 foot long 12 foot diameter, 1/2" to 5/8" wall steel tube that stopped the entire truck, trailer, and steel tube in about 18 inches from 60 mph. It twisted the bottom flange of the steel beam 90 degrees. DOT had widened the bridge that crossed an up-sloping highway and failed to indicate the resulting loss of height. The second part of the plan was to deepen the highway cut by 12 inches, but too late for that driver. I got there just after the crash but later went on foot to examine the bridge and abandoned tube.

I just noticed the collision shoved the helicopter so that one main wheel is off the trailer and on the ground, so a good chance the nose gear is also demolished from use as a fore-aft restraint. There is the trough the curbside main is in, including a tie-down still in place, and it looks like a similar trough is on the street side, but there is no tie-down there. Not sure what to make of the distance from the street-side (port) main and the street-side trough.

Per https://louisianavoice.com/2023/09/22/32194/ there was also an escort vehicle, so great job all around. The escort is shown following in one of the photos. Article also suggests a fuel stop was the likely immediate goal.

[MechEngr]

Another angle from https://965kvki.com/ixp/29/p/helicopter-stuck-under-louisiana-overpass/ showing the street-side main wheel far from the red cradle and the detached tie-down.

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1794x1216/attachment_screen_shot_2023_09_22_at_9_21_02_am_6617073da98b 39e9e28cf0d98acdd112fdb3f5fb.jpg

[Blackhawk9]

Wrong, not Bristow. I’m sure no one else ever used Blue on a helicopter. Since when does Bristow have a patent on Blue paint?
Ok , if you know who's is it ? The oil cooler cover is blue same as the Bristow scheme, Avinsis/Babcock/OSA as mentioned are white, may not be a current Bristow machine but looks to be in their scheme, other machines with upper Blue decks are Cougar and the old CHC scheme though don't think any old CHC schemes are around now.

[spangzilla]

questions from a lurker

would the write-off include the engines too (if they are installed)?

how much damage would the input shafts get from the MGB and quill shafts being ripped out?

[NutLoose]

"NOW that's what I call a Rotor Brake" 1

[OnePerRev]

Input sections were torn away, so the engines got loaded backwards too from the support tube. Probably Toast.

[SASless]

So FH tells us it was not ON an Interstate Highway....but rather was UNDER I-12.....thus State Route/USHighway Standards apply rather than Interstate Standards.

That makes a lot of difference...and instead of being westbound the truck would have been southbound on the secondary road headed towards the Pilot Truck stop.

That meant the truck would be passing underneath two sets of bridges going each way to/from I-12 and the Truck Stop.

Also mentions was the escort vehicle.....any mention of it h having a height pole installed and being used?

[henra]

Very bad day for the truck driver..

That driver will probably never see a truck again from the inside. Rather be clearing toilets in future I guess. And his company will have some nasty dicsussions with the insurance. If they pay at all. Otherwise you can probably also kiss the trucking company good bye.

I'm still at a loss how you can forget about that 10million $ load on the back of your Truck!?
One less S-92 in any case. And sadly it seems Sikorsky doesn't to want to build new ones any more. The German Federal Police had a tender running and the S-92 was one of their two candidates. Sadly Sikorsky withdrew from the process.

[wrench1]

That driver will probably never see a truck again from the inside. Rather be clearing toilets in future I guess.
Doubtful. Heavy hauler drivers especially with drop deck experience are in very high demand. The fact this guy was driving the 92 probably put him in the higher ranks.

Sheet happens. So unless he was drunk, my bet is he'll either maintain his job or be hired the next day by someone else at the same salary. No different than some pilots dinging an aircraft... with customers...and maintaing employment. Given there was an escort vehicle with him will be interesting to see who did what. What is ironic they were only about 1 hour from their destination.

[212man]

Ok , if you know who's is it ? The oil cooler cover is blue same as the Bristow scheme, Avinsis/Babcock/OSA as mentioned are white, may not be a current Bristow machine but looks to be in their scheme, other machines with upper Blue decks are Cougar and the old CHC scheme though don't think any old CHC schemes are around now.

My guess - https://www.rocketlabusa.com/updates/rocket-lab-to-attempt-next-mid-air-helicopter-rocket-catch-during-next-mission/

[ApolloHeli]

My guess - https://www.rocketlabusa.com/updates/rocket-lab-to-attempt-next-mid-air-helicopter-rocket-catch-during-next-mission/
Rocket Lab's launch complex is located in New Zealand, so I'd rule them out unless this airframe was being driven to a waiting Antonov to ship across the Pacific (and then some)...

[BTC8183]

Rocket Lab's launch complex is located in New Zealand, so I'd rule them out unless this airframe was being driven to a waiting Antonov to ship across the Pacific (and then some)...

Not convinced either, still there according to one tracking app.
Next....
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/467x875/img_20230926_171839_acb2df733fa08387d8e3f496671375a7f4c4a543 .jpg

[212man]

Rocket Lab's launch complex is located in New Zealand, so I'd rule them out unless this airframe was being driven to a waiting Antonov to ship across the Pacific (and then some)...
I wasn’t suggesting it was in NZ, but I know it has been for sale for a while so wondered if it was sold to a US buyer (bearing in mind the colour scheme). I now have it on good authority it’s still for sale.

[212man]

I’ve since heard it was ex-Babcock Norway on its way to PHI after storage in Norway.

[rrekn]

Lawsuit has now been filed:

DSV hit by claim for helicopter after highway overpass crash - https://shippingwatch.com/logistics/article17068943.ece
Unicourt Case - https://unicourt.com/case/pc-db5-casegudc890347afed-1814728

Can't see a SN as yet...