ltb, loss of tailrotor bits
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 563
Likes: 1
From: queensland australia
ltb, loss of tailrotor bits
the pilot, for want of a better term, of an as350 did an approach onto a rocky ledge to pick up a passenger, when the passenger put on his headset he informed the pilot that he saw the tail rotor strike the ground as he landed.
the pilots reply was that, "no it didn't, i would have felt it", the passenger reiterated his statement and was told to get on board as they had work to do. silly him.
the aircraft with its cabin full of people continued flying for another couple of hours before returning to the airport over a very built up area.
the next day this person was strutting around the airport like a great white hunter who has just bagged a rhino, proud as punch.
he could see no wrong in what he had done.
none the less it sure does show the integrity of these parts.
the pilots reply was that, "no it didn't, i would have felt it", the passenger reiterated his statement and was told to get on board as they had work to do. silly him.
the aircraft with its cabin full of people continued flying for another couple of hours before returning to the airport over a very built up area.
the next day this person was strutting around the airport like a great white hunter who has just bagged a rhino, proud as punch.
he could see no wrong in what he had done.
none the less it sure does show the integrity of these parts.
Gatvol
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 4,197
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From: KLAS/TIST/FAJS/KFAI
He should have felt that...........Im wondering if he felt the loss of his job or the fact that he will feel unemployed for a while.
However based on what I have seen in the industry, he will probably end up as Chief Pilot.
However based on what I have seen in the industry, he will probably end up as Chief Pilot.
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 943
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From: Gold Coast, Queensland
Looking at those very mangled blades, it reminded me of a similar incident in Borneo a lifetime ago with a Hiller 12E. The pilot landed on a very small pad on a mountainside to pick up 2 locals. One tail rotor blade clipped the ground and immediately became 3 inches shorter. He switched off, checked the damage, cut 3 inches off the other blade, did a ground run, said it felt ok, left the 2 pax for another aircraft to pick up and took off to return to base about 25 minutes away.
Not long afterwards his mgb started to seize up till finally at full throttle, the blades were seen to slow down. By the time he hit the river bank, the blades were nearly stopped, so needless to say he died.
This 350 flew for 3 hours, quite amazing. Perhaps balsa wood blades are more forgiving than metal!
Not long afterwards his mgb started to seize up till finally at full throttle, the blades were seen to slow down. By the time he hit the river bank, the blades were nearly stopped, so needless to say he died.
This 350 flew for 3 hours, quite amazing. Perhaps balsa wood blades are more forgiving than metal!
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 396
Likes: 1
From: US...for now.
Well I would have...
...
...oh never mind.
Thank you, PPRUNE FAN, we've already had one interesting thread eliminated thanks to you, you sorry lout. We don't need another. Don't make us ban your arse (which we call "Doing a Lu on U") - HELIPORTSKI
You'd be no good as a Mod, PF#1 - your attempt at self-moderating is far too harsh.
Heliport
...
...oh never mind.
Thank you, PPRUNE FAN, we've already had one interesting thread eliminated thanks to you, you sorry lout. We don't need another. Don't make us ban your arse (which we call "Doing a Lu on U") - HELIPORTSKI
You'd be no good as a Mod, PF#1 - your attempt at self-moderating is far too harsh.
Heliport
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 730
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From: Australia
Nigel!
maybe the manufacturers got it wrong!...they used glass epoxy/ carbon fibre in the latest blade desing when all they needed was balsa......i made a balsa wood bridge in science once and it took 50 lbs to break it!!!...maybe i should have patend it!!!
your thread was quite funny!
....you look at a blade thats 3 inches shorter than the other and think hmmmm...maybe theres something wrong here...oh F@#k it ill match the pair right now with my Leatherman tool knife!!
you have got to be kidding....im baffled!
maybe the manufacturers got it wrong!...they used glass epoxy/ carbon fibre in the latest blade desing when all they needed was balsa......i made a balsa wood bridge in science once and it took 50 lbs to break it!!!...maybe i should have patend it!!!
your thread was quite funny!
....you look at a blade thats 3 inches shorter than the other and think hmmmm...maybe theres something wrong here...oh F@#k it ill match the pair right now with my Leatherman tool knife!!you have got to be kidding....im baffled!
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 299
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From: the great white north
well, if macgyver could do it...
seriously, i'd have thought that the vibe caused by the damage in those pics above would have been enough to alert the drver that something was up, not just a bad case of sleepy feet.
seriously, i'd have thought that the vibe caused by the damage in those pics above would have been enough to alert the drver that something was up, not just a bad case of sleepy feet.
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 943
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From: Gold Coast, Queensland
Speechless is right. The incident occured in 1965 near Nanga Gaat (for the old time RNers!). The pilot was an ex Ternhill instructor & Squadron QHI, so everything would suggest he should have known better. The problem was no other helicopter could land there with him shut down & the bigger S55 or Wessex Mk1 would not have fitted which is why they used the little Hiller, so it was either a long walk or wait for a winch fitted helicopter that could hover that close to the mountain at those temps or wait to get shot. He did do a long ground run & test hover, remarked that the vibrations were minimal & so elected to take off. Another problem was that there was not another suitable landing site nearby, just jungle or river.
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 730
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From: Australia
Speechless two,
sorry was not aware of that and i apologise for any misleading comments i made, my post referred specifically to the pilot of that AS350,
i have since read nigels post again and i honestly didnt mean any disrespect to the h12 guy, sorry....my fault i only read half the script before posting, next time ill be sure to read all the post and the fact i had a night off and a few bevvys doesnt help either!
sorry was not aware of that and i apologise for any misleading comments i made, my post referred specifically to the pilot of that AS350,
i have since read nigels post again and i honestly didnt mean any disrespect to the h12 guy, sorry....my fault i only read half the script before posting, next time ill be sure to read all the post and the fact i had a night off and a few bevvys doesnt help either!
Iconoclast
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,132
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From: The home of Dudley Dooright-Where the lead dog is the only one that gets a change of scenery.
Sometimes the bits are predestined to fall off right from the factory.
Sometimes what was or was not done at the factory can predestine the failure of a component. Several years ago I was making a tour of Geneva Aviation in Everett, Washington. They had just completed the installation of a closed circuit TV system in an A-Star and were getting ready to place it in a container and ship it to Hawaii. I started to look at the various exposed systems and noticed that the pitch links on the tail rotor had castelated nuts and drilled bolts but there were no cotter pins installed. This aircraft had undergone countless inspections and was flown from Texas in that condition. Had the bolts and nuts come loose during a tourist flight there is no telling what could have happened and how many people could have been effected.
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 267
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From: Queensland Australia
Nigel:
Reference the H12 mentioned. I am not familiar with the mechanical workings of a Hiller. Was there a link between altering the tail rotor blades and the MRGB seizing up? I am assuming there must be or was that just a bad coincidence?
Reference the H12 mentioned. I am not familiar with the mechanical workings of a Hiller. Was there a link between altering the tail rotor blades and the MRGB seizing up? I am assuming there must be or was that just a bad coincidence?
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 512
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From: Texas
The AS350 with low skid gear doesn't take much flare to hit the tail rotor. Sitting on the ramp, the end of the tail rotor is well below knee level. I learned to do all my flaring at a high hover, and touch down with no movement, and I was still worried. A little tailwind, when parking, would make the t/r come very, very close to the ground. Luckily there was a very large stinger back there protecting the spinning parts. I have landed in open fields and after shutting down found the tips of the t/r green from cutting grass, which was perhaps 8" high. The AS350 should never have been certified with the low skidgear.