Super Puma down at YPKT
 

Anybody know what caused to Super Puma to crash into 2 Metros at Port Keats this afternoon?

Apparently its a bit of a mess down there.

BJ

Rotors Hit the floodlighting post and flipped itself, and damaged abit of the surrounds... Wasn't too long ago that I recall a C400 series driver put his wing into the airports 'terminal' ;)

From all accounts (ABC TV News), only minor injuries to ground staff from flying debris. Crew and pax ex the Puma evacuated okay. Metro's also damaged by flying debris.

This could have been a very serious accident if the Puma had caught fire after impact. With the arrival and departure of flights from Port Keats, there is usually a lot of people around the terminal.

Clowns like Pilotboy shouldn't have access to computers!

Port Keats was always a little tight in a S76 with a couple of Metros on the apron so I can see how the Puma would struggle.

Glad to hear none seriously injured.

Intreresting place when we all arrived around the same time.

Cheers n Beers

LT

Dam,

I assume the metros belong to Hardys? If that is the case, so glad I am no where near AH this morning!

Super Puma - CHC? Or have Bristows finally come back to Darwin (again)?

B

Channel 9 evening news last night were reporting it was CHC. From the looks of the news footage, the pilots were extremely lucky. The cockpit has been crushed by the impact with the pole.

Photos here

http://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/458...ort-keats.html

There's not a lot of room on the tarmac at the best of times and even less when Hardy's park their Metros' in the middle of it. Lucky no one was hurt.

So why counldn't the Helicopter hover over and past the Metros and other obstacles anyway?

Because stiff wing drivers then get annoyed when the downwash buffets the controls because they forgot to put in the gust locks :p

The downwash from an 8-9,000kg helicopter is quite noticeable and likely to cause damage to nearby aircraft. Usually it is safer to ground taxi to the parking ramp: stress on "usually".