Helicopter pilot killed on Kahoolawe

[Heliport]

Honolulu Star-Bulletin reportA civilian helicopter pilot was killed yesterday when his chopper crashed on Kahoolawe.
It was the first fatality on Kahoolawe since the government began clearing unexploded ordnance from the island five years ago.
The pilot was identified as Gary D. Freeman, 55, of Lipan, Texas, who worked for Pacific Helicopter Tours, Inc., owner of the helicopter.

A US Navy spokeswoman said the crash occurred at 11:50 a.m. when a cable used to pick up equipment got stuck in the tail rotor blade of the single-engine Bell 205.

The Bell 205 is a civilian version of the military's UH-1N Huey. Two of them were being used by Pacific Helicopter on Kahoolawe.

Tweet Coleman, FAA spokeswoman, said the helicopter had just dropped a load at the heliport built and maintained by Parson/UXB on the south side of Kahoolawe and was returning to Maui. She said the helicopter had climbed to 2,000 feet when it experienced trouble and crashed on its rotor blade upside down. The crash site was said to be close to a bay on the northwest end of the island. "It rolled over and burned immediately," she said.

Howard Esterbrook, Pacific Helicopter's director of operations, attributed the cause of the accident to "human factors, pilot-type" and strong winds. "I know it was pretty turbulent," Esterbrook said.
Coleman (FAA) described Freeman as a "very experienced" and responsible pilot who had flown the same route many times. Esterbrook said Freeman had piloted helicopters for 35 years and worked for his firm off an on for 10 years.

Freeman was a helicopter pilot in the Vietnam War and later did a lot of industrial lifts and flew to remote areas in the world, including the jungles of New Guinea, the mountains of Nepal, and forest fires in California, Esterbrook said.

US Navy said the NTSB will not investigate the accident, and the company will be allowed to remove the wreckage. The FAA has two investigators on the scene.

Demolition work on the island was canceled and will be resumed on Tuesday. The Navy is close to completing a $400 million clearing project on Kahoolawe and has repeatedly described it as "the largest Department of Defense unexploded ordnance project in the world." On Nov. 11 the Navy will transfer control of the island to the state.

As part of the cleanup, the Navy contracted Pacific Helicopter, which over the past four years has billed the Kahului-to-Kahoolawe 6-mile shuttle as the largest civilian helicopter operation in the United States. Last year, the Navy said about 375 people were commuting four days a week by helicopter to work on Kahoolawe.


Kahoolawe is a small 45 square mile island off the South West coast of Maui. It was used as the target area for aerial gunnery practice by the U.S. military for many years until stopped under (former) President Bush. The U.S. Government is returning control of the island back to The State of Hawaii.

http://www.royalelephant.com/hawaiimap.jpg

[Flying Lawyer]

Howard Esterbrook, Pacific Helicopter's director of operations, attributed the cause of the accident to "human factors, pilot-type" and strong winds.
Seems a little premature and unfair for the employers to be publicly attributing the cause of the crash to "human factors, pilot-type".

[Helinut]

Made even more suspicious by the banning of the NTSB from investigating ............ Nothing easier than blaming the one guy who is not there to defend himself!

[Heliport]

FAA FSDO: HONOLULU, HI (WP13)Entry date: 05/23/2003

IDENTIFICATION
Regis#: 3280U
Make/Model: UH1
Description: 204, 205, 214A/B BIGLIFTER/C
Date: 05/22/2003 Time: 2150

Event Type: Accident
Highest Injury: Fatal
Mid Air: N
Missing: N
Damage: Destroyed

LOCATION
City: KAHOOLAWE
State: HI
Country: US

DESCRIPTION
WITNESSES SAW ACFT TAIL ROTOR SEPARATE FOLLOWED BY THE MAIN ROTOR.
ACFT CONTACTED THE GROUND AND ROLLED TO THE LEFT. THERE WAS A POST CRASH FIRE AND ACFT BURNED COMPLETELY.
AT TIME OF THE CRASH, THE ACFT WAS ON ITS WAY BACK TO PUUNENE AIRSTRIP EMPTY AFTER HAVING DROPPED ITS LOAD AT LZ-LEE.
THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED OVER AHUPA IKI BAY. ONE PERSON SUFFERED FATAL INJURIES. KAHOOLAWE, HI

INJURY DATA Total Fatal: 1 # Crew: 1 Fat: 1 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
# Pass: 0 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
# Grnd: Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:

WEATHER: SCT020 WIND 10 TO 20 MPH

OTHER DATA
Activity: Business
Phase: Unknown
Operation: General Aviation

Departed: UNKN Dep Date: Dep. Time:
Destination: UNKN
Flt Plan: Wx Briefing:
Last Radio Cont:
Last Clearance:

[Steve76]

Just exactly what I was thinking Flying Lawyer.
What the hell does "pilot type" mean?

Sad to see another short timer pass away. Seems to have been a rash of guys in their 45 to 55 range getting killed in the last year. One would think that after all those years you would acquire a little immunity. I guess that isn't so....

[S76Heavy]

Perhaps they meant Pilot Induced Oscillation causing the cable to swing into the TR?

[Bell214B]

I've read that the longline broke and struck the tail rotor.

[Heliport]

from the Honolulu Advertiser
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/dailypix/2003/May/24/freeman.jpg

KAHULUI, Maui — Gary Freeman was described yesterday as "the best of the best," a smart and capable pilot who was meticulous about safety and always careful to follow the rules.

That's why employees at Pacific Helicopter Tours Inc. were shocked to hear Thursday that Freeman, 55, had died on the job while hauling supplies to the ordnance removal project on Kaho'olawe.

"He was the best of the best, a safe and methodical pilot," said fellow pilot Mike McDonald, a friend who flew in combat with Freeman in Vietnam. "We thought it couldn't happen to him."

Freeman's company helicopter, a Huey, crashed and burned late Thursday morning after his long-line cable struck the tail rotor of his aircraft.

Federal Aviation Administration investigators examined the burned helicopter Thursday, and the National Transportation Safety Board is expected to send an investigation team to look at the wreckage Wednesday.

Howard Esterbrook, Pacific Helicopter's director of operations, said it appears pilot error was a factor in the accident.

"It happens — it's an occupational hazard," Esterbrook said. "The conditions weren't right. It could have been turbulence, or the speed he was going. He could have forgotten to take off the line. Who knows?"

Freeman's body was recovered late Thursday afternoon and returned to Maui, where a Maui Police Department chaplain conducted a short memorial service at the Pacific Helicopter hangar at Kahului Airport. Freeman's body was draped in the American flag as more than 50 company employees and friends looked on.

An autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday, and a memorial service is planned at 11 a.m. May 31, at Pacific Helicopters.

A Texas native, Freeman was a part-time Pukalani resident who generally worked for Pacific Helicopter six weeks on and six weeks off, returning home to his wife, Cindy, and their 23-acre ranch near Burleson, Texas, southwest of Fort Worth. Freeman is the father of two adult sons who were raised in Texas.

A news helicopter pilot at WFAA Channel 8 in Dallas for eight years in the 1980s, Freeman had been flying for more than 35 years, accumulating more than 10,000 flight hours of utility flying in locations across the globe, including Nepal and New Guinea.

He was an Army combat pilot in Vietnam in 1968-69.

Dan DeLor, of Ozark, Ark., remembered his former F Troop 8th Cavalry platoon mate as a scout pilot you could rely on. "I could never say enough about him as far as his ability as a pilot," he said.

Eight years ago Freeman began working for another Army pal, pilot Tom Hauptman, owner of Pacific Helicopter on Maui. The company later landed the Kaho'olawe contract, transporting 350 workers to the island every day and hauling supplies and equipment to the island.

McDonald joined the company in 2000, reuniting the Army buddies after 34 years. McDonald recalled that in the Army, Freeman was called "weird Gary" because he was so studious and smart.

"He was a thoughtful man," McDonald said. "When he said something, people listened. When someone asked him a question, he usually had the right answer at the right time.

"Gary died while doing what he loved to do. ... Flying was Gary's life, and he was good at it. He loved it," he said.

[Old Man Rotor]

The photograph of Gary reminds me of a Pilot Instructor at the Bell Helicopter Flying School in DFW a few years back...........could this be one of the same?

[spinningwings]

I am so sorry to hear of the passing of Gary freeman who I had the pleasure of flying with many years ago whilst working with him in Papua New Guinea. I remember one particular check flight he did with me just outside of Mt. Hagen (PNG) in a Hu500D (back in 1991) which we both enjoyed immensely.

As has been mentioned he was a very knowledgable and safe pilot and a really nice guy with it......I'm sure he will be sadly missed .... As an ex workmate I would like to offer my condolences to his Widow and Children ....may he Rest in Peace ...Godbless you Gary....

[PPRUNE FAN#1]

Steve76 wrote:

One would think that after all those years you would acquire a little immunity. I guess that isn't so....This statement bothered me all weekend. It raises some questions I just have to ask.

Steve, my dear fellow, if you thought that pilots were granted such immunity, did you think that this would also apply to you? And if so, at what point would this "immunity" begin to take effect?

I ask this question because it's probably a common belief (or wishful thinking!) among pilots that the older and very experienced among us (myself, etc) are somehow immune from making the same little dumb mistakes that often catch low-timers (Old Man Rotor, Thomas coupling, et al). You know, the "little dumb mistakes" that prove fatal.

It absolutely matters not one bit how much experience or flight time you have. It's almost irrelevant. What's important is your next takeoff, your next flight and your next landing. Sure, having a lot of hours means that you've probably seen a lot of mistakes and made a goodly number of them yourself. But I've yet to meet a pilot who was literally incapable of making a mistake more than once. Even me. Especially me.

Contrary to what some of you might think (because I have not posted my CV on this forum), I have a lot of experience. A ton of experience. Multiple decades "at the wheel" and logbooks chock-a-block full of flight time. Big deal. I do not delude myself; I know that it offers me not one bit of "protection" or immunity against killing myself. Not one bit! Why? Because I've seen some of my peers...highly experienced "graybeards" do some incredibly dumb things. Alright, they might not have resulted in fatal accidents...this time, but the mistakes easily could have if the circumstances had been slightly different.

I admit that even I continue to make small errors on each flight. Very rare is the flight that goes absolutely perfectly. Obviously, the key is to catch the errors before the dominoes start tumbling. But what if some day I don't? The very thought makes me shudder.

However, it's very hard to treat every flight as if it's your first as a commercial pilot when the logbook has 10,000+ hours and upwards of 70,000 landings. You get to thinking, "Yeah, yeah, I've done this a thousand times already...at least!" And that's the danger. It takes real work to avoid becoming complacent.

So I do not like to hear pilots say that they think lots of experience grants some sort of immunity from getting killed in an aircraft accident. I don't even like to hear pilots say that they'd "like to think" it. Steve76, it is unfortunate that Mr. Freeman died the way he did. But he had no more "immunity" than the lowest-time Robbie pilot (Crab?) on the planet has. Neither have I. And neither have you.

[Gunship]

PPRUNE FAN #1 ... wise words my friend wise words ...

My condolences to the collugues, friends and family of the deceased pilot :sad:

[The Auditor]

You condescending Prick……take your small minded trivial views off this sensitive thread.

You have purposely taken Steve out of context …and I would assume as a deliberate act of provocation.

It’s another shameful aspect on your part.

[SASless]

Now Auditor....don't sugar coat it....tell us what you really think!

[helmet fire]

and now back to the thread..................

Did the line break and flick up, or did he go too fast with an empty line?

What was the line made of?

Was the line inspected or certified in some way?

Was there a remote hook?

Any similarity to the NZ Huey accident just recently in which the line contacted the main rotor?

Why dont we try and learn the lesson from the demise of another of our brothers?

RIP Gary.

[Blue Rotor Ronin]

You can't pass a soapbox without climbing on. Can you No1. With all your apparent masses of experience, you've obviously never heard of 'the time' nor 'the place'.
My deepest sympathy to Gary Freeman and his family.

[whoateallthepies]

Helmet Fire

It looks like we won't get the answer to your questions if the NTSB are banned from investigating this crash. I find it shocking that Mr. Esterbrook is free to place the blame on the pilot without knowing any of the facts. At the end of his speculation he then has the cheek to say "Who knows?" Certainly not him. He sounds as arrogant as Pprune Fan #1.

Why no investigation?:confused:

[zalt]

NTSB often delegate helicopter investigations to the local FAA. No great conspiracy just a lack of resources / perceived priority.

[crop duster]

Family and friends had memorial for Gary today. According to doctor who performed autopsy, Gary had massive heart attack and was probably already gone before impact. Guess we'll never know for sure, but, does help family and friends deal with the tragedy of losing a husband, father, and compadre without the pilot error thing hanging out there.
BarryB

[Heliport]

Well said Crop Duster
The comment by Pacific Heliocopters' spokesman was bad.

PS Welcome to the Forum.

[Old Man Rotor]

It is totally understandable as to why we all need [want] to know the reasons of any activity that causes us some grief.

However the comments from Crop Duster say it all..........

I guess a Cardiac Arrest can be classified as:..."human factors, pilot-type"

Speculation and guess work can tarnish the lifetime image of a respected colleague......lets be careful.

[helmet fire]

I think
human factors - pilot-type

is a totally inappropriate comment by an Ops Manager of the company in the absence of an enquiry. It especially smacks of a distinct lack of human factors training (or at best a gross misunderstanding of the subject).

Then again - are we believing a media report actually reported his comments accurately??

[Old Man Rotor]

That is the exact point...........

Howard Esterbrook, Pacific Helicopter's director of operations, attributed the cause of the accident to "human factors, pilot-type" and strong winds. "I know it was pretty turbulent," Esterbrook said.


Was this a real quote..........or a &^%$#@@ Newspaper Reporters misunderstanding of the event that the dill did'nt understand...!!!!


Content unchanged - just changed the codes to get us back to size.
Heliport

[MASTER_CAUTION]

I flew with Gary back in 1980-81 doing ENG in Astars...Gary, I'm glad I knew ya............RB :ok:

[heliroo]

I also was very priviledged to have work with Gary in Papua New Guinea for a number of years.

As a junior pilot I learnt quite alot from Gary,particulary operating AS-350 Squirrells.
He will always be remembered to me as the most Knowledgeable and experienced Squirrell pilot/instructor I have ever met.

Sincere Condolences to Cindy and Family.

Rest in Peace Mate.

[Captain Lai Hai]

I too consider it a privalidge and pleasure to have met and learnt a lot from Gary when also working out of Goroka.
In my opinion Gary knew more about the AS350 than any other pilot I have met prior or since.
He was very clear in his explanations and demonstrations and most importantly inspired and encouraged confidence and professionlism both in the cockpit and outside for some of us who needed a little gentle guidance
Very very sad to hear this tragic news