S61N crash Florida
Three dead after helicopter crashes, bursts into flames in US
Three people have been killed after a military-style helicopter crashed and burst into flames in central Florida, authorities say.
Police spokeswoman Karyn Barber said the crash occurred Tuesday afternoon (local time) in a largely developed area in Palm Bay, southeast of Orlando.
Firefighters and police arrived at the wreck to find the helicopter completely engulfed in flames.
Footage shows black smoke billowing from the older model, military-style helicopter as emergency crews worked to extinguish the blaze.
The fire was contained within ten minutes.
"My understanding is that no one walked away," Brevard County Fire Rescue Public Information Officer Don Walker told ABC.
The helicopter operated out of the Melbourne Airport, and witnesses reported seeing it flying low before it went down.
Officials weren't immediately saying what caused the crash.
The identities of those killed have not yet been released.
Police spokeswoman Karyn Barber said the crash occurred Tuesday afternoon (local time) in a largely developed area in Palm Bay, southeast of Orlando.
Firefighters and police arrived at the wreck to find the helicopter completely engulfed in flames.
Footage shows black smoke billowing from the older model, military-style helicopter as emergency crews worked to extinguish the blaze.
The fire was contained within ten minutes.
"My understanding is that no one walked away," Brevard County Fire Rescue Public Information Officer Don Walker told ABC.
The helicopter operated out of the Melbourne Airport, and witnesses reported seeing it flying low before it went down.
Officials weren't immediately saying what caused the crash.
The identities of those killed have not yet been released.
Cost of Freedom just went up.
Sad news!
DoD/State Department contractor outfit....started out as part of Blackwater back in about 2008.
Sad news!
DoD/State Department contractor outfit....started out as part of Blackwater back in about 2008.
Last edited by SASless; 7th Sep 2016 at 02:41.
SkyGod
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. Three people have been killed after a military-style helicopter crashed and burst into flames in central Florida, authorities say.
That would be the -61, North Sea Platform workhorse.
A DC-3 would be a military style transport I guess.
Slow news day.
RIP to the dead, always sad to see these kind of head lines in the news.
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AAR Airlift aircraft on a maintenance test flight.
Names not yet released of two pilots and one engineer.
Sad news....and I'm sure I will know the pilots, once identified. RIP
(Former AAR)
Names not yet released of two pilots and one engineer.
Sad news....and I'm sure I will know the pilots, once identified. RIP
(Former AAR)
Not a lot of rotational damage visible on the main or tail rotor blades??
The wreckage is very reminiscent of several 61's I've seen photos of that landed reasonably ok then burned out on the ground.
Maybe it's possible that this was a forced landing and events overtook the crew before they could escape?
Very sad whatever the circumstances.
Maybe it's possible that this was a forced landing and events overtook the crew before they could escape?
Very sad whatever the circumstances.
Maybe it's possible that this was a forced landing and events overtook the crew before they could escape
AAR website has pics of their machines and calls them 61N models. They look like 61Ls though: fixed landing gear. The 61N had sponsons, into which the gear retracted, and were FAA certified amphibious,.i.e., you could legally put them in the water. Just a nit. Good eyes, 212. MTF machine was probably empty other than the crew.
Looks like it might have been one of your old girls with a V8 registration, 212?
ROTORSPOT - Production list for Sikorsky S-61
61717 VR-UDZ[2], V8-UDZ, N905AL, N805AR
ROTORSPOT - Production list for Sikorsky S-61
61717 VR-UDZ[2], V8-UDZ, N905AL, N805AR
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The machine used to be an S61N UK Reg G-BXSN
My last involvement with "SN" was in the Gulf of Mexico with air logistics and it became N161AL.
I agree the picture does look very similar to another ex-old friend, G-BBHM. Very sad indeed.
This is her departing Anduki for the last time, to Muara port for the sea crossing to the US.
N Models get the sponsons removed and fixed gear installed along with other Mods to provide a better configuration for Bush/Overland Only Operations.
Add Carson Blades and some other improvements and the lift capacity is much better than the standard N Model Configuration.
Phil Kemp would be a very good source of info on that probably.
Add Carson Blades and some other improvements and the lift capacity is much better than the standard N Model Configuration.
Phil Kemp would be a very good source of info on that probably.
The 41-seat capacity, tricycle-gear helicopter, serial number 61717, was manufactured in 1974. It was powered by two General Electric CT58-140-2, 1500-horsepower turboshaft engines.