22 Million up in flames - Pilot Escapes

[Gunship]

News 24 from SA :D (http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/0,1113,2-7_1298151,00.html)

Cape Town - One person received minor scratches when a privately-owned helicopter was forced to crash land near Constantia in the Western Cape on Sunday.

The pilot, businessman David Mostert, said he was piloting the six seater Augusta 119 Koala helicopter when he experienced a loss of power. He was accompanied by his eight-year-old daughter and a few friends when the accident occurred, said Mostert, who has 23 years flying experience.

"The landing was relatively benign, and we landed in a big yard with natural bushes before climbing out of the helicopter", Mostert said.

He said that the exhaust of the R22m helicopter caused the grass to catch alight about 10 to 15 minutes after the chopper had landed.

Mostert said the fire engines that arrived on the scene could not do anything to save the helicopter because the fire hydrant in Bishopscourt apparently contained no water.

Mostert said he took possession of the blue, white and red helicopter in July this year and it was the only one of its kind in the country.

[Sir Cumference]

Something is not right here! A "relatively benign" landing ends up setting the grass on fire! When I last looked at an Agusta 119 the exhaust was about seven feet off the ground. Looks like the "benign landing' ended up with the aircraft on its side thus setting the grass on fire and ultimately destroying the machine.

Heard various reports relating to vortex ring and perhaps FADEC failure whilst trying to land close to home. Long and short of it is a VERY large insurance claim which is bad for all of us.

Sad state of the nation that there was no water at the hydrant for the fire brigade to use!:mad:

[El Peligroso]

Long and short of it is a VERY large insurance claim which is bad for all of us.
...how exactly would the insurance claim be bad for ALL of us? :confused:
Sad state of the nation that there was no water at the hydrant for the fire brigade to use!
..have to agree with you on that one though! :( :mad: :(

[Sir Cumference]

The answer is simply this, we all pay premiums into a big pot which mainly goes through LLoyds in London. Big claims affect the whole industry in that those suited fellows in London try to ensure that they make the most money. Big claims mean increases in premiums for all of us which relates to BAD NEWS.

The effects of the 9.11 tragedy are still being felt in the industry. The fact that only one of the towers was insured and the other not will ultimately cost the aviation industry, so I am reliably told!The US legal system is a mess as we all know. The net effect is that the NY Port Authority who were owners of the buildings are likely to sue the airlines for their losses including the uninsured portion which is huge.

Nuff said on that one and that is the opposite end of the scale to what we are talking about. Bottom line is that any claims take away the bottom line of the "suits" and we therefore pay more.

[B Sousa]

EEEah. nobody said to put water in de pipes...

It only takes one spark from an exhaust thats spewing out coke and garbage at some many degrees to start something like this in dry grass. Lets start at the root........Pilot Error. (consider all aspects of your LZ)
Also since it was not his original intention to land there, maybe a walkaround with the fire extinguisher before leaving, might have helped....

[Rat Catcher]

Main thing, no one hurt!

Bert, expected to finally meet you in NBO as there are about 7 choppers from SA parked in the hangar doing some "election" flying...Those tuskers is cold man!:D :D :D

[B Sousa]

Maybe this year. Im in the Caribbean until March 206L/407 then back to Vegas AS350 for a while and if I can work it out I may get on board the rat gaggle that heads north from SA around July.......
I miss the Tuskers, but there is certainly some great Rum here in the islands..I plan on bringing a bottle or five over next trip.. Maybe get Gunship to give up on tassies..
Merry Merry, blah blah blah and I have to work today, gotta get those tourists to dig deep as I live on tips.....not bad yesterday $160....ha ha or Ho Ho Ho