AS350 slips/spins on helipad
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From: n/a
AS350 slips/spins on helipad
Hi,
Does anyone have a link to the video of the AS350 slipping/spinning on the helipad in Italy on the 27.07.2009
Thanks.
Does anyone have a link to the video of the AS350 slipping/spinning on the helipad in Italy on the 27.07.2009
Thanks.
Last edited by Never in Balance; 30th July 2009 at 10:44. Reason: added the date of the event.
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2007
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From: n/a
Found this link.... its the 6th video down.
Archiv Sendung vom 27.07.2009, 10vor10, SF1
I am trying to find it on youtube as well.....
Archiv Sendung vom 27.07.2009, 10vor10, SF1
I am trying to find it on youtube as well.....
Last edited by Never in Balance; 30th July 2009 at 11:32.

Joined: Jan 2003
Aviation Qualifications: CPL
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From: Near the bottom
The PIC continues to lean across the panel even after the machine starts its 360?!
Also, the disk seems to be at max pitch at 10 o'clock so the reporter was fortunate to have run backwards - if he'd run forwards, I think he may have lost his loaf
Also, the disk seems to be at max pitch at 10 o'clock so the reporter was fortunate to have run backwards - if he'd run forwards, I think he may have lost his loaf
Joined: Oct 2007
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From: An Irish dude in Houston, TX. I miss home!!!
Anyone any ideas as to what might have caused this? Momentary lapse in attention, Not frictioning the collective enough allowing it to come up on its own? Maybe made worse by slamming the collective down and thus reducing the torque to a minimum while already too much right pedal in(power pedal due to clockwise rotation).
Just trying to figure it out, so it doesn't happen to me someday.
Just trying to figure it out, so it doesn't happen to me someday.
Avoid imitations



Joined: Nov 2000
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From: Wandering the FIR and cyberspace often at highly unsociable times
Looks like a couple of things contributed to this near accident.
It rotated against the torque reaction off the main rotor so it must have had a lot of right pedal in. Perhaps the pilot did this inadvertently whilst leaning over the console to help his passenger strap in.
The Squirrel has a clip on the bulkhead and a corresponding metal "pip" on the lever to hold down the collective. If this isn't engaged, the collective rises as the hydraulics come on line during the start sequence and the aircraft goes light on the skids all by itself. I used to put my knee across the collective to make doubly sure this "gotcha" didn't "get me".
It rotated against the torque reaction off the main rotor so it must have had a lot of right pedal in. Perhaps the pilot did this inadvertently whilst leaning over the console to help his passenger strap in.
The Squirrel has a clip on the bulkhead and a corresponding metal "pip" on the lever to hold down the collective. If this isn't engaged, the collective rises as the hydraulics come on line during the start sequence and the aircraft goes light on the skids all by itself. I used to put my knee across the collective to make doubly sure this "gotcha" didn't "get me".

Joined: Jul 2000
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From: Wiltshire
The Squirrel has a clip on the bulkhead and a corresponding metal "pip" on the lever to hold down the collective. If this isn't engaged, the collective rises as the hydraulics come on line during the start sequence and the aircraft goes light on the skids all by itself. I used to put my knee across the collective to make doubly sure this "gotcha" didn't "get me".

Joined: Jan 2003
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From: Near the bottom
It rotated against the torque reaction off the main rotor so it must have had a lot of right pedal in. Perhaps the pilot did this inadvertently whilst leaning over the console to help his passenger strap in
Joined: Jul 2009
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From: not home
At flight rpm one day (col friction on) just prior to t/off I was distracted by something a pax was doing behind me that needed my full attention, I was leaning around to the right as far as pos whilst waving my right arm frantically (AS350 right hand doors off on a fuel soaked timber pad) the chopper yawed about 30" and nearly off the pad, I hadn't realized in turning to the right I had used pressure on my right foot to do so.
Traps for the young and foolish not so, if your not looking up its hard to tell what the movement your feeling is, and if its sudden and unexpected what to do about it
Traps for the young and foolish not so, if your not looking up its hard to tell what the movement your feeling is, and if its sudden and unexpected what to do about it

Joined: Jan 2003
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From: Near the bottom
...and if its sudden and unexpected what to do about it
Joined: May 2009
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From: belfast
one thing is for sure, that chewing gym got a fair work out after it stopped spinning!
IMHO the pilot was trying to correct something that had gone wrong on the center consol, whether the co pilot/passenger had done some thing is very possible, as its stops when he, foolishly, gets out.
still would have shut it down and gone for a cuppa at least before even thinking of going up in her again!
IMHO the pilot was trying to correct something that had gone wrong on the center consol, whether the co pilot/passenger had done some thing is very possible, as its stops when he, foolishly, gets out.
still would have shut it down and gone for a cuppa at least before even thinking of going up in her again!


Joined: Jan 2006
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From: 3nm SE of TNT, UK
The speedy chewing of gum says speaks volumes - and the look on his face says, (loose translation), " Oh sh!t - there's a camera! I'll be all over YouTube and Pprune by tomorrow! Perhaps if I fly back now, I can drop the aircraft off and be away home before the boss sees it!. 
Learn from the mistakes of others - you won't live long enough to make them all yourself.

Learn from the mistakes of others - you won't live long enough to make them all yourself.

Joined: Jul 2007
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From: The Other London
Regarding the discussion about the collective coming up by itself. Would it not be safe to assume that in this case the collective was all the way down ? If it were up, wouldn't the helicopter rollover, especially with that much cyclic directed to the one side ?
(This is just a question from an enthusiast. I'd like to see what pilots have to say about it)
(This is just a question from an enthusiast. I'd like to see what pilots have to say about it)



