Heli skiing fatal
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Heli skiing fatal
Pilot killed in B.C. helicopter crash
Jamie Komarnicki, Canwest News Service
Published: Friday, February 08, 2008
CALGARY -- A helicopter carrying nine people on a heli-skiing trip in southeastern British Columbia crashed Thursday afternoon, killing the pilot.
The helicopter was on its way back to the Purcell Helicopter Skiing Ltd. base in Golden, B.C., just before 3:30 p.m. when it lost altitude.
It hit the ground with what the RCMP termed "sufficient force to have the blades break off" its rotor.
Six passengers - four from outside B.C. and two from outside Canada - walked away uninjured from the wreck, which remained upright.
However, two Purcell staffers from Golden, about 250 kilometres west of Calgary, were hospitalized.
One was released, but one was later flown to a Calgary hospital by air ambulance.
The pilot, a 44-year-old man from Revelstoke, B.C., died at the scene in the Canyon Creek area.
Revelstoke is about 150 kilometres southwest of Golden.
The pilot's name hasn't been released.
The cause of the crash is under investigation, which will involve Transport Canada.
"It's always very sad when anyone dies out there in the mountains," said Golden Mayor Jim Doyle.
"It's sad for the family that has lost the loved one."
Helicopters from the Golden area flew to the scene to aid in the rescue, but severe weather prevented authorities from recovering the pilot's body.
Teams are scheduled to return Friday.
Heli-skiing is off-trail, downhill skiing that is accessed by helicopters.
According to its website, Purcell Helicopter Skiing is a small company with more than 30 years experience in skiing and snowboarding.
A company spokeswoman declined comment when reached by telephone Thursday.
Last spring, two heli-skiers died in an avalanche in northern B.C.
Daisuke Matsui, 27, a tourist from Shibuya, Japan, and 24-year-old Kimberly Manchip, who worked for Last Frontier Heliskiing company, died April 2, 2007.
The avalanche occurred in an area known as Delta Peak.
Calgary Herald
Jamie Komarnicki, Canwest News Service
Published: Friday, February 08, 2008
CALGARY -- A helicopter carrying nine people on a heli-skiing trip in southeastern British Columbia crashed Thursday afternoon, killing the pilot.
The helicopter was on its way back to the Purcell Helicopter Skiing Ltd. base in Golden, B.C., just before 3:30 p.m. when it lost altitude.
It hit the ground with what the RCMP termed "sufficient force to have the blades break off" its rotor.
Six passengers - four from outside B.C. and two from outside Canada - walked away uninjured from the wreck, which remained upright.
However, two Purcell staffers from Golden, about 250 kilometres west of Calgary, were hospitalized.
One was released, but one was later flown to a Calgary hospital by air ambulance.
The pilot, a 44-year-old man from Revelstoke, B.C., died at the scene in the Canyon Creek area.
Revelstoke is about 150 kilometres southwest of Golden.
The pilot's name hasn't been released.
The cause of the crash is under investigation, which will involve Transport Canada.
"It's always very sad when anyone dies out there in the mountains," said Golden Mayor Jim Doyle.
"It's sad for the family that has lost the loved one."
Helicopters from the Golden area flew to the scene to aid in the rescue, but severe weather prevented authorities from recovering the pilot's body.
Teams are scheduled to return Friday.
Heli-skiing is off-trail, downhill skiing that is accessed by helicopters.
According to its website, Purcell Helicopter Skiing is a small company with more than 30 years experience in skiing and snowboarding.
A company spokeswoman declined comment when reached by telephone Thursday.
Last spring, two heli-skiers died in an avalanche in northern B.C.
Daisuke Matsui, 27, a tourist from Shibuya, Japan, and 24-year-old Kimberly Manchip, who worked for Last Frontier Heliskiing company, died April 2, 2007.
The avalanche occurred in an area known as Delta Peak.
Calgary Herald
was this at Last Frontier lodge ....sister co of TLH ( Tyax ) ? I am heliskiing there in 2 weeks . V professional set up with excellent pilots. Very sad to hear of loss but it appears he did a good enough job to keep his pax alive
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Heli-Skiing pilot fatal
Like many here I'm sure, I have a few speculations as to why the pilot didn't survive that crash. I'll hold off my comment for a few days out of respect for the family.
Monk
Monk
Not commenting on this specific incident, but heli-skiing with the 212 has its own cautions. Biggest is probably understanding how the torque limiter works, rapidly winding back the N1, with the result that the RPM comes down real quick. As the blades get slow they teeter a lot and especially if you hit hard on the left side the tranny and advancing blade drop down, hitting the right front of the cabin.
9 pax and the pilot and guide, a little fuel, shouldn't have been a big load on a cold day at 7500'. Weather was reported in the media as being not bad.
malabo
9 pax and the pilot and guide, a little fuel, shouldn't have been a big load on a cold day at 7500'. Weather was reported in the media as being not bad.
malabo
