R44 Accident Geelong
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R44 Accident Geelong
ABC News
Two people have escaped serious injury after a helicopter crashed while doing circuits at a regional airport, west of Melbourne.
The Robinson R44 helicopter was doing circuits — taking off and landing — when something went wrong around 10:00am, airport owner Gary Baum said.
Mr Baum said he found the helicopter on its side, with one man lying on the ground and another walking nearby.
They were both talking, he said.
"The debris of the whole aircraft is scattered over a 50-metre radius."
"It is believed both patients are in a stable condition.
The Robinson R44 helicopter was doing circuits — taking off and landing — when something went wrong around 10:00am, airport owner Gary Baum said.
Mr Baum said he found the helicopter on its side, with one man lying on the ground and another walking nearby.
They were both talking, he said.
"[There's] severe damage underneath the helicopter and the rotor blades have actually hit and broken the tail off and exploded but the cabin has stayed all together."
"It is believed both patients are in a stable condition.
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Good to see that the R44 (ABC report) has been upgraded to 5-seat (theage.com report)
Long skid mark in the grass before coming to rest, and I don't see any sign of the tail in the photos
Long skid mark in the grass before coming to rest, and I don't see any sign of the tail in the photos
The cut off tail plane is 10 m behind the wreck, located within the non-skids sliding marks.
Would be very useful to know if the fuel leak was due to a ruptured bladder or broken fuel supply line.
R44 crash survivability has been improved since the mandatory fitting of the new tank, perhaps some tweaks are still required?
The windscreen lays toward the beginng of the debris trail.
Mjb
R44 crash survivability has been improved since the mandatory fitting of the new tank, perhaps some tweaks are still required?
The windscreen lays toward the beginng of the debris trail.
Mjb
Hello Mjb,
the new tank improves only the post crash survivability. It doesn't protect you to be killed or wounded. It try to protect you from not to burned alive if you're wounded and not able to move away from the wreckage.
.
the new tank improves only the post crash survivability. It doesn't protect you to be killed or wounded. It try to protect you from not to burned alive if you're wounded and not able to move away from the wreckage.
.
“pre-crash survivability”
All the mindless bashing aside, it would be interesting to know where the fuel got out. If anyone actually knows.
Having lost a friend to a post crash fire in an R44, and still occasionally flying one for fun, I was hoping the bladder tanks had reduced the chance of a post crash fire.
Having lost a friend to a post crash fire in an R44, and still occasionally flying one for fun, I was hoping the bladder tanks had reduced the chance of a post crash fire.
From memory, the fuel tank vents are internal. The caps probably pretty well seal up.
Fuel leaking from a cap, a vent, or even a severed fuel line is more like a trickle. (Taking 10 mins + to empty the tanks at a guess. And depending on the angle leaving some in the tanks.) having the tanks sliced open by a broken flex plate could have the entire contents onto the hot engine/two magnetos in seconds. Two very different scenarios.
Fuel leaking from a cap, a vent, or even a severed fuel line is more like a trickle. (Taking 10 mins + to empty the tanks at a guess. And depending on the angle leaving some in the tanks.) having the tanks sliced open by a broken flex plate could have the entire contents onto the hot engine/two magnetos in seconds. Two very different scenarios.
