Helicopter missing - Mt Disappointment VIC (AU)
The original "tale", of which it isn't, was from the Bell 214B for the reasons here and the resultant "ballistic" trajectory.
6000 FPM at SL wasn't/isn't difficult light but you could also cave in the greenhouse windows above your head. Not rated for 60 knots vertical and above. Even an old 205 will surprise some when light and you can bust the windows in one as well.
Apparently a 214 back in the day established a couple of records and sustained ~2000 FPM to 30,000' and ~5200 FPM to 10,000'. So the rate numbers at sea level would have been higher.
6000 FPM at SL wasn't/isn't difficult light but you could also cave in the greenhouse windows above your head. Not rated for 60 knots vertical and above. Even an old 205 will surprise some when light and you can bust the windows in one as well.
Apparently a 214 back in the day established a couple of records and sustained ~2000 FPM to 30,000' and ~5200 FPM to 10,000'. So the rate numbers at sea level would have been higher.
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I was too succinct. You got it, but the following posts suggest I was misunderstood.
The ROC, or vertical speed, indicator only shows +-2000 fpm. In an auto in a Wasp you had no idea how fast you were descending. ;-)
The ROC, or vertical speed, indicator only shows +-2000 fpm. In an auto in a Wasp you had no idea how fast you were descending. ;-)
Last edited by HissingSyd; 6th Apr 2022 at 13:56.
In an auto in a Wasp you had no idea how fast you were descending. ;-)
Preliminary report released.
Investigation: AO-2022-016 - Collision with terrain involving Airbus Helicopters EC130 T2, VH-XWD near Mount Disappointment, Victoria, on 31 March 2022 (atsb.gov.au)
OMG. the first heli flew into the cloud first and did a U-turn and the second one followed.
Investigation: AO-2022-016 - Collision with terrain involving Airbus Helicopters EC130 T2, VH-XWD near Mount Disappointment, Victoria, on 31 March 2022 (atsb.gov.au)
OMG. the first heli flew into the cloud first and did a U-turn and the second one followed.
The passenger in the front right seat had flown in helicopters for about 30 years. The passenger recalled that, as they crossed Mount Disappointment, heavy cloud rolled in resulting in ‘a white-out with ground visibility no longer evident’. The pilot radioed XWD and said words to the effect of ‘U‑turn, U-turn, U-turn’. Then the pilot of WVV immediately completed a U‑turn. The pilot of XWD radioed back with words to the effect ‘aren’t we going to cut through?’ The passenger then saw XWD pass just below them
VFR pilot ignores VFR rules, enters cloud and crashes - nothing new there unfortunately...........5 lives lost for the sake of a 180 turn........
Website might need a refresh.....
DAY AND NIGHT
Got to love this industry…. Everyone quick to put the knife in.
My thoughts are with the friends and family’s.
Let’s all learn from this.
My thoughts are with the friends and family’s.
Let’s all learn from this.
It's not a knife, it is a frigging big neon sign that says ' Don't scud run - turn around or land'
“Walls of cloud” don’t generally just “roll in” based on my 20 years of VFR flying… you fly into them as they remain mostly stationary.
Weather deterioration around high ground - how unexpected............
The final report has been released:
VFR into IMC, loss of control and collision with terrain involving Airbus Helicopters EC130 T2, VH-XWD, near Mount Disappointment, Victoria, on 31 March 2022 | ATSB
https://australianaviation.com.au/20...db8e5f458c47bf
VFR into IMC, loss of control and collision with terrain involving Airbus Helicopters EC130 T2, VH-XWD, near Mount Disappointment, Victoria, on 31 March 2022 | ATSB
https://australianaviation.com.au/20...db8e5f458c47bf
Last edited by Squawk7700; 11th Jan 2024 at 22:10.
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Sadly, it really does appear that this was a case of “same old, same old”. The cliche about old, bold pilots definitely applies here. Two pilots, two aircraft, same way, same time, same conditions. Two opinions of whether to turn back or not. It’s a fine line.
Having been in the situation of commercial pressure to fly or not and whether to continue a flight once airborne many times, I’m beginning to realise how glad I am to be retired and away from it all.
However, I must say that I’m very, very surprised that the standby horizon wasn’t even switched on! That indicates a certain mindset about the flight.
Also, a pilot with a few thousand hours but no IFR training at all? I recall flying under the IMC training hood very early on in my basic helicopter training, in an unstabilised Whirlwind 10. IR training long after first solo unless I’m very much mistaken and certainly with a lot less than 100 hours total. Might have even been before night flying…maybe Teetering Head can confirm? Before that we were required to gain a basic “white rating” IR in fixed wing.
Having been in the situation of commercial pressure to fly or not and whether to continue a flight once airborne many times, I’m beginning to realise how glad I am to be retired and away from it all.
However, I must say that I’m very, very surprised that the standby horizon wasn’t even switched on! That indicates a certain mindset about the flight.
Also, a pilot with a few thousand hours but no IFR training at all? I recall flying under the IMC training hood very early on in my basic helicopter training, in an unstabilised Whirlwind 10. IR training long after first solo unless I’m very much mistaken and certainly with a lot less than 100 hours total. Might have even been before night flying…maybe Teetering Head can confirm? Before that we were required to gain a basic “white rating” IR in fixed wing.
Never really understood the term "Inadvertent IMC" Day VFR. It's fairly apparent looking out the window?
Maybe it should be "inadvertent lack of training / understanding"?
Measures taken -
All that might do is make pilots "think" they can now randomly operate IMC?
Somehow I think the priorities are a little backwards.
Never really understood how the old NGT VFR rules were workable in Australia and look how that turned out.
Maybe it should be "inadvertent lack of training / understanding"?
Measures taken -
- drafted a dedicated risk assessment addressing visual flight rules into IMC
- upgrading their fleet of EC130 and AS350 helicopters with the Garmin G500H primary flight display and multifunction display incorporating synthetic vision and a terrain alerting functionality
- modifying their AS350 helicopters with the Garmin GFC 600H helicopter flight control system (approved data for the EC130 was not available at the time of the investigation)
- acquired ICARUS (instrument conditions awareness recognition and understanding system) instrument flying training hoods
- introduced basic instrument flying training and inadvertent IMC recovery training
- updated their operator proficiency check syllabus to include knowledge and practical skills checks for avoiding and recovering from inadvertent IMC
- added the Helicopter Association International online academy ‘56 Seconds to Live’ inadvertent IMC avoidance course to their pilot training program
- introduced a pre-flight risk assessment tool
- introduced a company ‘Task rejection’ policy statement into their operations manual
- obtained an Airbus Helicopter Training Centre approval.
Somehow I think the priorities are a little backwards.
Never really understood how the old NGT VFR rules were workable in Australia and look how that turned out.
