R44 down in Brasil

[evil7]

seems it happened yesterday😳

You Tube

[BOBAKAT]

One more "line pilot"....

[Jhieminga]

From another source (in Dutch):
The helicopter was carrying the bride to a wedding ceremony. Several people were lightly injured, the bride was unharmed. The airframe burned but the wedding ceremony continued. The tailrotor may have hit the building in the background.

[Vertical Freedom]

Damn lucky, very damn lucky

Is it my seat, or my butt, or is it my tail I fly in on an approach over obstacles....don't matter as I'm meant Bullet proof, I thinks. If that approach was any slower he'd be flying out backwards
Sad standard of Airmanship, just sad

[gulliBell]

But, I give him credit for writing-off an R-copter without writing-off any of the occupants.

[TWT]

This video shows close-ups of the tail area before it 'touches down' (TR missing) and the fire afterwards. Looks like Jhieminga is right about contact with the building.

You Tube

[KiwiNedNZ]

Seems the building was quite a way in the background though - could it have more than likely been wires and not the building.

[TWT]

Well, it hit something while airborne, whatever it was did the damage......

[Agile]

Originally Posted by Vertical Freedom

Is it my seat, or my butt, or is it my tail I fly in on an approach over obstacles....don't matter as I'm meant Bullet proof, I thinks. If that approach was any slower he'd be flying out backwards
Sad standard of Airmanship, just sad

I don't see any problem with a slow and controlled approach, its a wedding, its confined, there are loose things around (sun shade, seat cushion, table cloth..) additionally guests want the picture opportunity (well I guess the got it...!)

[r22butters]

Originally Posted by Agile

I don't see any problem with a slow and controlled approach, its a wedding, its confined, there are loose things around (sun shade, seat cushion, table cloth..) additionally guests want the picture opportunity (well I guess the got it...!)

Look at it this way. If he had come in faster he would have had more momentum when he started spinning and probably would have caused much more damage.

[Vertical Freedom]

SWAT

Originally Posted by Agile

I don't see any problem with a slow and controlled approach, its a wedding, its confined, there are loose things around (sun shade, seat cushion, table cloth..) additionally guests want the picture opportunity (well I guess the got it...!)

Trainee Students fly like this Mate, flying slower doesn't stop downwash, rather increases it; blowing around the napkins & tableclothes........hardly a confined area? Looks like the pilot flew the tail through a tree if it was a wire, was a recce airborne or on ground completed to assess these risks?

Hey gulliBell.....exactly, another successful removal of a Crapinson! Best thing was no serious injuries or deaths. 10/10 to the pilot on that one

G'day r22butters......thanks for that, but I will stick to a Normal approach flying the tail in over the trees, with a thorough SWAT recce done before committing to final

[skadi]

In this video you can clearly see that the TR clips a flagpole on top of the lower tower...

You Tube

skadi

[Thomas coupling]

Great news all around. No-one hurt (apart from pride/bride) AND another robbo bites the dust

[gulliBell]

Yep, just caught the stinger on the top of that flag pole....only needs a slight wrinkle in that tail cone for the whole thing to crumple and depart the scene.

[Mama Mangrove]

I wonder if the pilot was supposed to have been a ‘professional’? If so he really shouldn’t be if he can’t fly a safe approach into such a large area. It’s obviously just total luck that nobody was seriously injured or killed.

[Fareastdriver]

I'm overwhelmed by the heroics of the sword bearing gentlemen protecting their ladies from the debris.

[Bellrider]

Why starts the Robbo burning?
Sooo many people around there, with Little kids.......

[r22butters]

Originally Posted by Thomas coupling

Great news all around. No-one hurt (apart from pride/bride) AND another robbo bites the dust

Man, you Robbyrippers just come out of the woodwork every time don't you!

[r22butters]

Originally Posted by Vertical Freedom

G'day r22butters......thanks for that, but I will stick to a Normal approach flying the tail in over the trees, with a thorough SWAT recce done before committing to final

Good for you

[Fareastdriver]

Brazil, R44s and weddings don't seem to meld to well. IIRC there was a video taken inside an R44 of the bride and groom in the back leading up to them being totalled in a CFIT.