Heli crash at everest base camp

[Vortex what...ouch!]

From the BBC.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/2942868.stm

:(

[rotormad]

I can't quite see but is it a Mil 8??

[Heliport]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/images/39090000/jpg/_39090286_copter300.jpg

[Gunship]

Morning all,

I saw the footage yesterday on BBC World.

Yes it was a Mi-8.

It is "fair" that the BBC commentator was right on the spot and said they touched building and ceashed.

I do not know who has actually seen the footage.

Apparently what we see on TV was the last of about three turns /orbits that the crew made before landing.

What bothered me was that "last" manoevre - quite a sharp turn (base legto final) at quite a high rate of descend.

I personally (this is a rumour network) saw more of a VortexRing State ... high rate of descend , low speed ... my small rumour after a sad accident.

And it was suppose to be such a joyeas week in the mountains .. eischh.

RIP - comdolence to the crew and pax and their families. :sad:

[Old Man Rotor]

As there were unfortunate deaths in this accident lets not speculate.


We can't sure of the Density Altitude, AUW, W/V or in fact engine output......lets be patient.

[Gunship]

As there were unfortunate deaths in this accident lets not speculate.


We can't sure of the Density Altitude, AUW, W/V or in fact engine output......lets be patient.



Agree OMR .. my point (maybe not clearly made) was the BBC commentator (standing behind the hill) and making a quick summary that the heli hit something ... that is purely speculative - seen from the anglke that he (and we the viwers) where watching.

Anyway agree .. speculation .. rumours .. would be interisting to know the Density Altitude ...

[John Bicker]

Base camp is about 17,400 feet. At ISA the temp would be about -19, apparently it has been around 0-1 deg C lately. So lets say for argument ISA +20. Roughly 20,000'. QNH VNKT for a guess has been around 1009 so add another 120' or so. Could have been as much as 22,000' without difficulty, chuck in a liitle wind............

Serious stuff!

[Gunship]

John,

I really thought we are talking about 10 to 12 000 feet .. I mean do pilots fly with oxygen there at 20 000 ' ... I assume they do ...

This is not speculation but my "theory" of Vortex ring state" has just got another meaning to it .. HDA, in a turn (less air over the blades, high rate of descend, Heavy .. 7 or 9 pax ? plus crew ...

Eischhh :\

Sorry OMR ... I know your (and lot of other's sentiments) but I am sure we can just discuss a bit around the background of the accident. Or not ?

20 000 vt in a Mi-8 ... I could not reach 14 000 (ok at 34 degree C at sea level) with 2 parashootist inside ... :uhoh:

Admittedly? spelling ? I think I was filled up to the brim at take off.

[John Bicker]

Gunship,
Probably a 17 at this height. They all look the same don't they.

2 guys were rescued higher than this by a 350B2 a few years back. Fuel was staged on the way up and it definitely would not hover. They were lucky was hard snow and it basically just fell off the mountain each time. 2 turns. Oxygen definitely required! The rescue was at about 22,500 AMSL which is outside the service ceiling for this aircraft let alone landing or hovering. Who knows what the DA was. Leave the Flight Manual at home - too heavy.

I have seen the footage on the BEEB and it seems he clipped a hut in a turn. Tough call as I doubt there is much published data available for this operation.

Anything you do up there on Everest is risky.

[cpt]

According to Mi17 (or Mi 8 MTV or AMT or MT...) their bird is a bit tricky when heavy at altitude landings ( they were talking of "above 4000 meters") because of RPM loss They had to be very gentle with the collective and actually they had to lower it a little with a small flare on final in order to keep their RPM's.

[Gunship]

Just watched a BBC program on the beautiful Everest ..

Base Camp is at 5365 I am sure I heard the guy said. Damn hihj comes to mind ... and I can have a look in the books on Monday ... not the ideal hover hight for a Mi-8 / 17 (T/ MT or MTV) for that matter ...

cpt .. believe me even at 2000 metres (ok we are normally close to MAUW ) and temp much, much higher .. she does not like it ....

John, a Mi-17 is normally a military one but you get a lot of civillian Mi-17 as well. The big difference is if she was a T model or the rest.

T model is an absolute disaster to fly - no power at all - but I doubt if they would ever take a T model up there !

I think an Alo II / III still has the height record (was when I was a student in 79 anyway) .. 36 000 odd thou .... not for me tx ... I hit 12 000 and was :mad: scared :p

[cpt]

Hello Gunship,

I have had the occasion some years ago (1992) to work together with a MI 8 AMT crew (this version called MI 17 AMT for export, was buid by the Ulan-Ude production plant and was equipped with the TV3 117 VM engines(same than your "bird" ?)
The crews currently were performing landings at 4000 meters on Kazaksthan glaciers. You are right, they never said it was easy but apparently it was more like a routine than something else.
I would like to add these russian crews were highly professional and were doing a wonderfull job in difficult conditions with their helicopters, without much fuss about it.
But indeed, I really was impressed by the performances of this helicopter, not a lot could have done the job it did in these conditions.
If only I could fly on one of theses now !


;)