HAA Ec135 accident in NC all survived 10th March 2023
The overhead view sure raises some questions and appears to show a fuel spill from the aircraft running across the roadway into the grass on the left side of the aircraft.
Additionally, it appears there was major damage to a couple of the main rotor blades and from the original photos and video the Tail Rotor Blades appeared intact despite the damage that broke the tail. boom and bent the the now exposed tail rotor drive shaft.
That the aircraft impacted the roadway lined by trees but between to open fields seems odd.
Was the aircraft under power or not? Is there enough visual indications to suggest it was not?
Was it dark at the time of the accident....what was the visibility.....was the Pilot using. NVG's at the time?
What does the photos and videos lead us to think? What do they tell us as we view them?
Additionally, it appears there was major damage to a couple of the main rotor blades and from the original photos and video the Tail Rotor Blades appeared intact despite the damage that broke the tail. boom and bent the the now exposed tail rotor drive shaft.
That the aircraft impacted the roadway lined by trees but between to open fields seems odd.
Was the aircraft under power or not? Is there enough visual indications to suggest it was not?
Was it dark at the time of the accident....what was the visibility.....was the Pilot using. NVG's at the time?
What does the photos and videos lead us to think? What do they tell us as we view them?
The PIC was was in the process of making an IMC avoidance decent, got distracted heads down and struck the tree line, lost tail authority and auto'd from 100 feet. Just read prelim. Easily done unfortunately.
Great work getting down in auto from 100' in the dark on a wooded hillside - not so great work avoiding the cloud by hitting the trees.
Seems an odd choice in skoshie weather to fly over the highest ground around if you are not going proper IFR.
Just good they are all still around to talk about it.
Seems an odd choice in skoshie weather to fly over the highest ground around if you are not going proper IFR.
Just good they are all still around to talk about it.
Some interesting comments that beg some questions due to the lack of any corroborative information.
The referenced Accident Report is what? Can it not be posted for the rest of us to consider?
What is an "IMC Avoidance Descent"? Is that a new way of saying IIMC encounter at night in close proximity to mountainous terrain?
"Got distracted heads down....".
I looked for that Preliminary Report but did not have much time and did not find it....so I did try.
Not faulting the import of what you posted as there was lots of circumstantial evidence pointing towards what you provided.
So....it begins to appear there was a very good outcome to what could have been yet another EMS Night IIMC/CFIT accident.
Now the questions should begin to be asked about why that particular route of flight was decided upon as a terrain analysis would show there were lower ground routes with small towns and other ground lighting that could have been used.
Was the Pilot using NVG's that would mitigate the use of flight over elevated unlit areas?
With the weather being marginal....was the Dispatch Center monitoring weather sources along the route to ensure the Pilot was being provided up to date existing weather or did the boxes get ticked prior to departure and the pilot was left to his own devices?
Single Pilot at night over the mountains in a helicopter is a very demanding business and imposes a tremendous work load on the Pilot especially in marginal weather and the flight being done VFR counting upon VMC weather all along the route.
The referenced Accident Report is what? Can it not be posted for the rest of us to consider?
What is an "IMC Avoidance Descent"? Is that a new way of saying IIMC encounter at night in close proximity to mountainous terrain?
"Got distracted heads down....".
I looked for that Preliminary Report but did not have much time and did not find it....so I did try.
Not faulting the import of what you posted as there was lots of circumstantial evidence pointing towards what you provided.
So....it begins to appear there was a very good outcome to what could have been yet another EMS Night IIMC/CFIT accident.
Now the questions should begin to be asked about why that particular route of flight was decided upon as a terrain analysis would show there were lower ground routes with small towns and other ground lighting that could have been used.
Was the Pilot using NVG's that would mitigate the use of flight over elevated unlit areas?
With the weather being marginal....was the Dispatch Center monitoring weather sources along the route to ensure the Pilot was being provided up to date existing weather or did the boxes get ticked prior to departure and the pilot was left to his own devices?
Single Pilot at night over the mountains in a helicopter is a very demanding business and imposes a tremendous work load on the Pilot especially in marginal weather and the flight being done VFR counting upon VMC weather all along the route.
and if you don't have a plan and stick to it, this happens. When the learned Mr Nick Lappos used to educate hungry listeners, instead of spouting perpetual political nonsense over on Linkedin, he would champion CFIT avoidance techniques and planning was a far more powerful training event than teaching stuck pedal and tail rotor failures. The FAA want more scenario based training, but there really aren't many takers.
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and if you don't have a plan and stick to it, this happens.
Not saying it happened in this case, but having a critical casualty - or one that was stable suddenly going into cardiac arrest, when your medical crew are working hard to preserve life - can skew your risk appetite and make you consider less appealing but time-saving options.
Another good reason for having a second pilot to be the voice of reason but sometimes that can become an echo chamber or a voice too quiet to be heard.
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What starts off wrong only gets worse with effort.
If you have a bad plan and it is poorly executed....only bad outcomes are possible shy of some sort of divine intervention.
First off let's deal with the mission statement of an EMS Helicopter operation.....staring with "....the provision of safe and reliable aeromedical transportation".
Helicopter EMS is a business that operates on a profit/loss basis just like the corner Off License shop.
In time we shall learn more of what is supposed to have happened that night but did not and the reasons being used to explain it away.
Fortunately, everyone survived this event and that is a blessing.
The full truth coming out would be an added benefit as it should prove to be beneficial for a "lessons learned" presentation at EMS Training sessions.
One question I am harboring is whether the Operator has already thrown the Pilot under the Bus containing the Lawyers lining up to make a pot of money off this and trying to shield itself by doing so.
As Pilots we must always keep in mind the fact that we are liable for our actions especially when someone gets hurt or killed.
Every "plan" has to keep that fact as part of the factors to be considered before launching off into the air.
A good Aviation Accident Lawyer is going to have fun with this one I am betting.....not so much for the recovery in this one but adding to his list of "Win's" for more serious accident cases he hopes to get.
If you have a bad plan and it is poorly executed....only bad outcomes are possible shy of some sort of divine intervention.
First off let's deal with the mission statement of an EMS Helicopter operation.....staring with "....the provision of safe and reliable aeromedical transportation".
Helicopter EMS is a business that operates on a profit/loss basis just like the corner Off License shop.
In time we shall learn more of what is supposed to have happened that night but did not and the reasons being used to explain it away.
Fortunately, everyone survived this event and that is a blessing.
The full truth coming out would be an added benefit as it should prove to be beneficial for a "lessons learned" presentation at EMS Training sessions.
One question I am harboring is whether the Operator has already thrown the Pilot under the Bus containing the Lawyers lining up to make a pot of money off this and trying to shield itself by doing so.
As Pilots we must always keep in mind the fact that we are liable for our actions especially when someone gets hurt or killed.
Every "plan" has to keep that fact as part of the factors to be considered before launching off into the air.
A good Aviation Accident Lawyer is going to have fun with this one I am betting.....not so much for the recovery in this one but adding to his list of "Win's" for more serious accident cases he hopes to get.
The prelim was an internal company document that came to my attention and nothing official from the Feds. Misleading choice of words. No big secret, but probably not a good idea to post it. Some of the members here are aware of it and have read it.
https://aerossurance.com/air-acciden...ch-log-errors/
Pilot flying in poor light and decided to review some tech log errors rather than don his NVIS. To his credit he says it's entirely his own fault but as Aerossurance mentions the NTSB don't seem to have dug very deep with respect to the root causes for why the pilot found it even remotely necessary to look at the tech log in flight whilst single pilot in marginal conditions. That act in flight seems to be the pinnacle of poor prioritisation. Also doesn't mention why rad alt didn't give sufficient warning or how HTAWS would have have alerted in good time. More holes than cheese in this case.
Pilot flying in poor light and decided to review some tech log errors rather than don his NVIS. To his credit he says it's entirely his own fault but as Aerossurance mentions the NTSB don't seem to have dug very deep with respect to the root causes for why the pilot found it even remotely necessary to look at the tech log in flight whilst single pilot in marginal conditions. That act in flight seems to be the pinnacle of poor prioritisation. Also doesn't mention why rad alt didn't give sufficient warning or how HTAWS would have have alerted in good time. More holes than cheese in this case.
Of what value are the "tools" provided to the Pilot if he elects not to use them?
Low level cutting through a mountain pass with higher ground all around...at night....in marginal weather....your NVG's flipped up so you can read the Tech Log.....why do I sense this is not the whole story behind this accident.....or the other factors that played a role.
I agree.....sever absence of cheese on this one.
Let's wait for the official report and see how shallow a dive was done in the conduct of the accident investigation.
Low level cutting through a mountain pass with higher ground all around...at night....in marginal weather....your NVG's flipped up so you can read the Tech Log.....why do I sense this is not the whole story behind this accident.....or the other factors that played a role.
I agree.....sever absence of cheese on this one.
Let's wait for the official report and see how shallow a dive was done in the conduct of the accident investigation.
It is alarming there was no mention of a HTAWS caution/warning within his statement. Nor did the ELT go off after either impact.
I wonder if the NTSB will open a second investigation about the HTAWS, at least internally.
I wonder if the NTSB will open a second investigation about the HTAWS, at least internally.