Huey & subsequent Blackhawk crashes: Thailand
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Taken from the Bangkok Post, published 22 July 2011 (bold highlights by me),
Just another in a long list of news stories where the pilot(s) couldn't have possibly been flying somewhere they shouldn't.
Funny thing aviation, it doesn't respect national culture (in the case of Thai aviation, saving face and what not) whatsoever when it comes to an accident. When will they learn.
Phetchaburi – The Black Hawk helicopter that crashed on Tuesday, killing all nine on board, was most likely brought down by the extreme weather conditions in the area at the time, according to a senior army officer.
The helicopter did not explode, 1st Army commander Lt-Gen Udomdet Seetabut said on Friday.
It was most probably hit by severe winds in extreme conditions and crashed to the ground.
The helicopter was critically damaged, parts broke off on impact and all the eight soldiers and the TV cameraman on board were killed.
Lt-Gen Udomdet described the tragedy as a "great loss".
Their bodies had been discovered shortly after searchers found the helicopter's wreckage late Friday morning, about 300 metres inside Burma on the edge of Kaeng Krachan National Park.
Rescuers were carrying their bodies to an area adapted as a temporary helipad for airlifting out of the forest on the mist-clouded Tanaosi mountain.
Maj Gen Tawan Ruangsri (Photo by Thanarak Khoonton)
The team faced an even harder job than rescuers encountered in extracting and moving the bodies of the five soldiers killed in the first helicopter accident only a short distance away, Lt-Gen Udomdet said. It was further away.
Among the nine dead are Surasi Task Force commander Maj Gen Tawan Ruangsri and Sornwichai Khatannukul, a cameraman with the TV Channel 5 army station.
The Black Hawk helicopter was sent to transport the bodies of the five soldiers killed in the first helicopter crash in Krang Krachan National Park in Phetchaburi on Saturday.
The severe weather conditions and poor visibility in the rugged area, on the Burmese border, were believed be the cause of the two crashes.
On July 16, the army sent the Huey helicopter and five crew to help lift out rangers, officials, reporters and suspected forest trespassers stranded in the forest. The helicopter crashed.
Three days later the Black Hawk helicopter was sent to bring out the victims’ bodies and all nine people on board met the same fate.
The bodies of four solders who died in Saturday's crash were today flown by military helicopter from Kanchanaburi to Lop Buri for funeral services.
The helicopter did not explode, 1st Army commander Lt-Gen Udomdet Seetabut said on Friday.
It was most probably hit by severe winds in extreme conditions and crashed to the ground.
The helicopter was critically damaged, parts broke off on impact and all the eight soldiers and the TV cameraman on board were killed.
Lt-Gen Udomdet described the tragedy as a "great loss".
Their bodies had been discovered shortly after searchers found the helicopter's wreckage late Friday morning, about 300 metres inside Burma on the edge of Kaeng Krachan National Park.
Rescuers were carrying their bodies to an area adapted as a temporary helipad for airlifting out of the forest on the mist-clouded Tanaosi mountain.
Maj Gen Tawan Ruangsri (Photo by Thanarak Khoonton)
The team faced an even harder job than rescuers encountered in extracting and moving the bodies of the five soldiers killed in the first helicopter accident only a short distance away, Lt-Gen Udomdet said. It was further away.
Among the nine dead are Surasi Task Force commander Maj Gen Tawan Ruangsri and Sornwichai Khatannukul, a cameraman with the TV Channel 5 army station.
The Black Hawk helicopter was sent to transport the bodies of the five soldiers killed in the first helicopter crash in Krang Krachan National Park in Phetchaburi on Saturday.
The severe weather conditions and poor visibility in the rugged area, on the Burmese border, were believed be the cause of the two crashes.
On July 16, the army sent the Huey helicopter and five crew to help lift out rangers, officials, reporters and suspected forest trespassers stranded in the forest. The helicopter crashed.
Three days later the Black Hawk helicopter was sent to bring out the victims’ bodies and all nine people on board met the same fate.
The bodies of four solders who died in Saturday's crash were today flown by military helicopter from Kanchanaburi to Lop Buri for funeral services.
Just another in a long list of news stories where the pilot(s) couldn't have possibly been flying somewhere they shouldn't.
Funny thing aviation, it doesn't respect national culture (in the case of Thai aviation, saving face and what not) whatsoever when it comes to an accident. When will they learn.
Last edited by Joker's Wild; 25th Jul 2011 at 02:11.
There was also an incident in which an Alaskan company lost 3 helicopters in succession due to a similar set of circumstances: one helicopter crashing due to flat light conditions, 2 others suffering a similar fate in attempting SAR. Remarkably no fatalities if I recall correctly.
Appears to be a set of circumstances that deserve particular attention in terms of risk.
TT
Appears to be a set of circumstances that deserve particular attention in terms of risk.
TT
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Fleet grounded, rotor failure suspected cause
Other than the fire of course, those MRB's on the 212 seem remarkably unscathed......
Last edited by Outwest; 25th Jul 2011 at 13:17.
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Originally Posted by crippen
Fleet grounded, rotor failure suspected cause.
Originally Posted by Bangkok Post
Maj Gen Pitaya said a preliminary inspection of the Bell helicopter's wreckage suggested the crash was caused by some problems with the tail rotor.
and in this article - Bangkok Post : Helicopter crashes blamed on weather, rotor fault
It had problems with the tail rotor and crashed while the pilots were trying to make an emergency landing.
and in this article - Bangkok Post : Helicopter crashes blamed on weather, rotor fault
It had problems with the tail rotor and crashed while the pilots were trying to make an emergency landing.
Remarkable how investigations take weeks to determine the cause but in this case, it's clearly the tail rotor, lets ground the fleet. I'm sure the general himself found the cause.
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It's the same old story. Blame the helicopter.
The truth is the Thai army and air force are full of 'pilots' who have the paperwork but no skill or ability.
Daddy or uncle get them in to the job.
There are major issues that cause these events.
Thailand and nearby countries in Asia have major issues with regard to training
and cockpit management.A lot of the crew are semi skilled but signed out because they are well connected.Would you like to put your career on the line by failing a major generals kid?
90 people died in this accident
One-Two-GO Airlines Flight 269 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://www.pprune.org/airlines-airpo...p-07-a-11.html
The truth is the Thai army and air force are full of 'pilots' who have the paperwork but no skill or ability.
Daddy or uncle get them in to the job.
There are major issues that cause these events.
Thailand and nearby countries in Asia have major issues with regard to training
and cockpit management.A lot of the crew are semi skilled but signed out because they are well connected.Would you like to put your career on the line by failing a major generals kid?
90 people died in this accident
One-Two-GO Airlines Flight 269 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://www.pprune.org/airlines-airpo...p-07-a-11.html
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'We' may consider this a Joke but THEY don't.
Angry spirits
With three helicopters crashing in just eight days, some people are convinced supernatural forces, like angry forest spirits, are to blame.
An army officer inspects the charred wreckage of the Bell 212 helicopter which went down yesterday morning about 12km from the office of the Kaeng Krachan National Park in Phetchaburi.
john
Angry spirits
With three helicopters crashing in just eight days, some people are convinced supernatural forces, like angry forest spirits, are to blame.
An army officer inspects the charred wreckage of the Bell 212 helicopter which went down yesterday morning about 12km from the office of the Kaeng Krachan National Park in Phetchaburi. john
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Taken from the Bangkok Post, 26 July 2011.
Sorry, but I especially like the part where "The general went at length yesterday to explain the causes of the three crashes." 
Based on the photo of the crashed 212, the Thai Army must have some accident investigators with x-ray vision, because that is one messed up crashed site.
Having lived and worked here in Asia as long as I have, I'd have thought by now stuff like this would stop getting under my skin, but I guess not. Oh well.
Crashes 'shake confidence' in choppers
Published: 26/07/2011 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: News
The army promised yesterday to restore officers' confidence in its helicopter fleet following three separate crashes in their flight missions at Kaeng Krachan National Park, resulting in 17 people killed and one injured in nine days.
Council member Gen Pichitr Kullavanijaya presents royal bathing water provided by Their Majesties for the bathing ceremony of the Black Hawk crash victims at Wat Thung Lat Ya in Kanchanaburi’s Muang district. Gen Pichitr also presented wreaths from members of the royal family. PIYARACH CHONGCHAROEN
Army Aviation Centre commander Pittaya Krachangwong said yesterday the accidents had shaken the senior military officers' confidence in boarding the helicopters.
The army will do everything in its power to restore confidence in the use of the helicopters, Maj Gen Pittaya said.
The general went at length yesterday to explain the causes of the three crashes.
He said the first crash, a Huey helicopter, in Kaeng Krachan in Phetchaburi on July 16, was caused by poor weather conditions.
Maj Gen Pittaya said the pilot on the Huey helicopter was attempting to land.
But because of poor visibility caused by thick clouds, the pilot had to wait and hover before the aircraft crashed into the mountain.
Maj Gen Pittaya said the Huey helicopter was one of the 30 second-hand helicopters which the US decommissioned and handed over to the Thai army.
The helicopters underwent factory maintenance in 2004 and the army had to pay a million US dollars worth of maintenance for each of the helicopters.
However, only 20 of the Huey helicopters have been in use, Maj Gen Pittaya said.
As for the Black Hawk helicopter crash on July 19, Maj Gen Pittaya said the bad weather conditions were also to blame.
Again, the poor visibility due to thick clouds caused the pilot on board to lose sight of the surroundings and could not see the ground and smashed into the ground. Nine people on board were killed.
The pilot was struggling to land the craft but failed in his attempts, Maj Gen Pittaya said.
The Black Hawk helicopter that went down on July 19 was bought from the US in 2002.
It was part of the army's fleet of seven Black Hawk helicopters.
The army has also bought three more Black Hawk helicopters of the same L-type, which are due for delivery next year.
The three new Black Hawk helicopters will also be fitted with weather radars whereas the existing seven Black Hawk helicopters have none of the radars.
Maj Gen Pittaya said the crash of the Bell 212 helicopter was caused by problems with the tail rotor.
The tail rotor failure forced the pilot to make an emergency landing but he lost control before crashing only five kilometres before reaching Kaeng Krachan, Maj Gen Pittaya said.
First pilot Maj Theerawat Kaewkamol, second pilot Lt Burana Wanjai, and first mechanic SM 1 Wichian Janpat were killed in the crash. Second mechanic Sgt Pattanaporn Tonchan, also on board, was seriously injured.
The Bell helicopter was bought in 1992. It was part of the fleet of 20 Bell 212 helicopters, he said.
Maj Gen Pittaya said the army had ordered the Bell 212 helicopter fleet to be grounded after the accident.
But he said the fleet is expected to resume operation in the next few days because an army inquiry committee had already discovered that the accident involving the Bell 212 helicopter was caused by a tail rotor failure.
The fleet could be back in action after the findings are submitted to the army chief.The Bell 212 transport helicopter crashed on Sunday morning while on its way to pick up the bodies of the nine victims in the Black Hawk helicopter crash on July 19.
Published: 26/07/2011 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: News
The army promised yesterday to restore officers' confidence in its helicopter fleet following three separate crashes in their flight missions at Kaeng Krachan National Park, resulting in 17 people killed and one injured in nine days.
Council member Gen Pichitr Kullavanijaya presents royal bathing water provided by Their Majesties for the bathing ceremony of the Black Hawk crash victims at Wat Thung Lat Ya in Kanchanaburi’s Muang district. Gen Pichitr also presented wreaths from members of the royal family. PIYARACH CHONGCHAROEN
Army Aviation Centre commander Pittaya Krachangwong said yesterday the accidents had shaken the senior military officers' confidence in boarding the helicopters.
The army will do everything in its power to restore confidence in the use of the helicopters, Maj Gen Pittaya said.
The general went at length yesterday to explain the causes of the three crashes.
He said the first crash, a Huey helicopter, in Kaeng Krachan in Phetchaburi on July 16, was caused by poor weather conditions.
Maj Gen Pittaya said the pilot on the Huey helicopter was attempting to land.
But because of poor visibility caused by thick clouds, the pilot had to wait and hover before the aircraft crashed into the mountain.
Maj Gen Pittaya said the Huey helicopter was one of the 30 second-hand helicopters which the US decommissioned and handed over to the Thai army.
The helicopters underwent factory maintenance in 2004 and the army had to pay a million US dollars worth of maintenance for each of the helicopters.
However, only 20 of the Huey helicopters have been in use, Maj Gen Pittaya said.
As for the Black Hawk helicopter crash on July 19, Maj Gen Pittaya said the bad weather conditions were also to blame.
Again, the poor visibility due to thick clouds caused the pilot on board to lose sight of the surroundings and could not see the ground and smashed into the ground. Nine people on board were killed.
The pilot was struggling to land the craft but failed in his attempts, Maj Gen Pittaya said.
The Black Hawk helicopter that went down on July 19 was bought from the US in 2002.
It was part of the army's fleet of seven Black Hawk helicopters.
The army has also bought three more Black Hawk helicopters of the same L-type, which are due for delivery next year.
The three new Black Hawk helicopters will also be fitted with weather radars whereas the existing seven Black Hawk helicopters have none of the radars.
Maj Gen Pittaya said the crash of the Bell 212 helicopter was caused by problems with the tail rotor.
The tail rotor failure forced the pilot to make an emergency landing but he lost control before crashing only five kilometres before reaching Kaeng Krachan, Maj Gen Pittaya said.
First pilot Maj Theerawat Kaewkamol, second pilot Lt Burana Wanjai, and first mechanic SM 1 Wichian Janpat were killed in the crash. Second mechanic Sgt Pattanaporn Tonchan, also on board, was seriously injured.
The Bell helicopter was bought in 1992. It was part of the fleet of 20 Bell 212 helicopters, he said.
Maj Gen Pittaya said the army had ordered the Bell 212 helicopter fleet to be grounded after the accident.
But he said the fleet is expected to resume operation in the next few days because an army inquiry committee had already discovered that the accident involving the Bell 212 helicopter was caused by a tail rotor failure.
The fleet could be back in action after the findings are submitted to the army chief.The Bell 212 transport helicopter crashed on Sunday morning while on its way to pick up the bodies of the nine victims in the Black Hawk helicopter crash on July 19.
Based on the photo of the crashed 212, the Thai Army must have some accident investigators with x-ray vision, because that is one messed up crashed site.
Having lived and worked here in Asia as long as I have, I'd have thought by now stuff like this would stop getting under my skin, but I guess not. Oh well.
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" Par for the course in the 'Land of Smiles' I'm afraid.
The roads claim hundreds of victims ever week.
Military accidents are frequent."
Spirits of one sort or the other certainly are to Blame for most accidents.
The Carnage that takes place over the Thai New Year, Songkran, has to be seen to be appreciated.
Makes Hogmany look like a children's party.
john
The roads claim hundreds of victims ever week.
Military accidents are frequent."
Spirits of one sort or the other certainly are to Blame for most accidents.
The Carnage that takes place over the Thai New Year, Songkran, has to be seen to be appreciated.
Makes Hogmany look like a children's party.
john
