Ground Handling Wheel Falls Off In Flight!

[heli-cal]

A ground handling wheel fell from a helicopter in flight and struck the roof of a house, according to the FAA.

The helicopter is operated by Forever Green Landscaping and the story was reported by newsday.com on 2nd April under the headline 'Tire Falls From Helicopter into Ga. Home'.

No one was injured.

[Geoffersincornwall]

Oh dear - but they are not alone

I remember the day our 'city tour' Long Ranger (on high skids/floats) departed with one of the portable boarding steps we used to protect the floats and help the 'oldies' climb aboard, still in place......... but not for long ..... it came off over the city and landed 3 feet from a little old lady in the street below ..... red faces all round but fortunately nobody hurt!

G

[flyer43]

Silly Question

Aren't Ground Handling Wheels meant for handling on the ground and should be removed before flight and stowed safely in the hold if it is intended to take them to another location.
My recall of ground handling wheels on several skidded helis was that they could be retracted and held in the up position by a very tenuous locking arrangement which was only meant to be used to keep the wheels attached for quick access when in the hangar etc.
Maybe manufacturers have improved fittings and they are now approved for remaining in place for flight??
Just a thought or two.......

[ShyTorque]

Hope they go round and landscape any dents in the garden.

I'd at least want my lawn cutting for free, for life.

I know a certain RAF exchange pilot who went night flying with ground handling wheels fitted. Came back with only one fitted, the other scared a couple of gendarmes as it bounced past their car, right along a village main road.... and out of the other end of the village without touching anything.

And a Puma load pole belonging to "Gentleman John" (IIRC) once fell out of the rear hatch during an IF trip and knocked a small balcony off an old folks home in Guildford.

[SASless]

If no offer of free yawn care....well by golly....finders keepers!

[pitot212]

Geoffersincornwall

Well, how about that for a coincidence! The exact same thing happened to me with our Long Box on a London trip. Only I managed to bring the step home.
After the appropriate discussion we stopped using the step. Not a good idea to have unnecessary dangly bits hanging off the skids.

[chop_chop]

I once tried to ride off on my motorbike with the disc lock still in the front brake disc - smashed up the fairing and brake caliper... I've noticed they now come with a wire to loop round the throttle grip or a plug to put in the ignition key hole. Both serve as a reminder - maybe ground wheels / steps need to come with a flag that you clip to the cyclic?

[pitot212]

Good idea Chop Chop, but when humans are involved if it can go wrong then it will go wrong! Schweizer 300’s are a prime example of this. On some 300’s the ground handlings wheels are attached to the skids including the pole. All locked on with spring clips or pins. Provided the clips ‘n pins are locked not a problem, but I’ve seen pilots return on more than one occasion minus a wheel or pole. Normally a helicopter only gets pushed around on the ground when it’s at home so taking the wheels everywhere with you is a nonsense and an unnecessary risk. IMHO if you have nothing on the skids nothing can fall off!

[Flying Bull]

Hi Chop_chop,

know that ....

Now have a "Remove before flight" dangly bit on my keys - when I remove the lock, it will be attached to the lock - lock installed - it´s on the keys....

Back to the wheels - one should get a habbit - like not starting a 2 blade chopper, if the blades are front/aft, for the wheels may be putting them in front of the bird where you can see them....

Greetings Flying Bull

[iws]

I may be wrong, but the wheels on my Enstrom DON'T come off easily, and all that happens if you leave the locating pin out is they flop down to the handling position but push back up when the skids ground.

I suppose other machines have less effective mountings?