Helisika Squirrel hits wires in Downtown Auckland'd Viaduct.
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Yer the rotorheads were discussing that. Looks like there's a SB out for them for that reason. Another interesting point..was the SB adhered to on that unit.
I am with you tho, was simply making a viewpoint based on Capn Bloggs post.
Cheers
Jas
I am with you tho, was simply making a viewpoint based on Capn Bloggs post.
Cheers
Jas
Join Date: May 2007
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I've looked at the footage about a hundred times now. There is 1 peice of footage on youtube that has 2 points of view - camerman pointing nearly vertically upwards (plan view), and the other from the side (profile view). The plan view shows the hi-line clearly connected to the external load hook under the helo; to where I don't know. But it makes sense that if he were erecting the mast then his hi-line would be connected to the top of the mast. After he crashes you can see a very loose strung cable in front of 1 of the remaining rotor blades.
The profile view footage shows the mast flexing at the same time as the helo shreds itself to pieces, with a cable loose still connected to it. Is it the guy-wire from the mast or the hi-line? My thoughts are the hi-line because it were the guy-wire then the mast would have probably fallen down.
Taking a few steps back, and this is just my mental model here so don't start firing rockets at me just yet: Mast is laying down horizontally on ground ready to be erected. Ground crew connect 2 guy-wires from mast. Helo external load-lifts the mast up (which is anchored at the base). Ground crew then connect the remaining 2 guy-wires to their anchor points - mast is now erect and stable. Helo then comes clear of the mast and wires and descends vertically down, with hi-line still connected to the top of mast (plan view footage supports this theory). Pilot either forgets to pickle the load (release the load) or his load release switches malfunction. I don't know what type of release mechanisms this guy has in his AS350 but should'nt be much different from any other by the looks of it. 1 ground crew member (the one under the helo) desparately tries to signal the pilot to waive-off. Pilot probably doesn't see him so continues down pulling the hi-line taut and into the main rotor blades. 1 maybe 2 rotor blades strike the cable probably taking the end(s) off, completely unbalancing the rotorhead. You can see the rotorhead violently shaking through the airframe which most likely caused the tailboom to disconnect from the mainbody.
Just my thoughts and not intended to cast a bad light on the pilot. Some very lucky individuals that day, that is for certain. This why we always carry aircrewman in the back. They are worth their weight in gold.
The profile view footage shows the mast flexing at the same time as the helo shreds itself to pieces, with a cable loose still connected to it. Is it the guy-wire from the mast or the hi-line? My thoughts are the hi-line because it were the guy-wire then the mast would have probably fallen down.
Taking a few steps back, and this is just my mental model here so don't start firing rockets at me just yet: Mast is laying down horizontally on ground ready to be erected. Ground crew connect 2 guy-wires from mast. Helo external load-lifts the mast up (which is anchored at the base). Ground crew then connect the remaining 2 guy-wires to their anchor points - mast is now erect and stable. Helo then comes clear of the mast and wires and descends vertically down, with hi-line still connected to the top of mast (plan view footage supports this theory). Pilot either forgets to pickle the load (release the load) or his load release switches malfunction. I don't know what type of release mechanisms this guy has in his AS350 but should'nt be much different from any other by the looks of it. 1 ground crew member (the one under the helo) desparately tries to signal the pilot to waive-off. Pilot probably doesn't see him so continues down pulling the hi-line taut and into the main rotor blades. 1 maybe 2 rotor blades strike the cable probably taking the end(s) off, completely unbalancing the rotorhead. You can see the rotorhead violently shaking through the airframe which most likely caused the tailboom to disconnect from the mainbody.
Just my thoughts and not intended to cast a bad light on the pilot. Some very lucky individuals that day, that is for certain. This why we always carry aircrewman in the back. They are worth their weight in gold.
Aha! The offending wire:
from this video (2:50 in):
from this video (2:50 in):
