EC 135 crash in Austria

[chopper2004]

Originally Posted by RVDT

RAD ALT is the absolute last resort. If that saves your bacon you have already seriously "Fuc?ed up".

The issue with this accident is the fact that even though somebody was possibly "aware" of the danger the problem is the level of severity of the danger.

Glassy calm lakes on perfect days look totally benign and therefore apparently of no consequence yet the fact is the complete opposite. Speak to a floatplane pilot.

Whiteout and sector whiteout is another dangerous condition that also looks totally benign yet is extremely dangerous. Many have come unstuck with the most notable the Air NZ DC10 into Mt Erebus. Flight visibility ~ 300 miles.

We all get told about these "dangerous" flight conditions but nobody allocates a level of just how dangerous.

Slightly digressing m my CFI came back from Sloane’s Mallorca having done the Clipper course. He suggested someday I should go out there and do it. Curiously landing on floats in an R 44 airframe on the calm Med ...guess it be easy to be lulled into false sense of security re glassy calm lakes??

If anything thats an interesting comparison With the Air NZ DC-10 fatal crash..(I have a copy of Gateway to the Antarctica - Christchurch Airport) .

cheers

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RAD ALT is the absolute last resort. If that saves your bacon you have already seriously "Fuc?ed up".

I have to disagree - a rad alt with audio and visual warnings and a good set of standard operating procedures is a template for safe operation over water, day or night.

It is the same as using it for NVD low level ops, if the light or audio gives an alert then you react appropriately and climb until it clears.

You just have to be disciplined in setting it correctly and appropriately.

[chopper2004]

Well it’s ten years ago on this day, the accident happened so will raise a toast to my late friend MP and his flight operator / crewman and the Siwss official and Cobra (SWAT) guy.

On happier note, the BMI Flugpolizei H135 since then flying without incident since then (my photos below from my other neighbourhood in Oberosterreich)






(The ones above from the Salzburg Flight Base)

And in Summer 2019 They took delivery of two new H125 from Airbus Helicopters Uk (I saw them at Kidlngton in My) after completion.

cheers

[Sikpilot]

Originally Posted by chopper2004

The pilot MP, is a very close friend of mine. Was away todya on business and only just found otu from friends of us. He has left a young family behind thats I will say. We've been friends over a decade now and my folks and his were close.

RIP to my old friend.

Condolences on your loss. I know how your feeling today.