Pax walks into the tail rotor while going to take a selfie

[NutLoose]

I haven't seen this posted before.

GM Finance Controller of UCADA, Shri Jitendra Kumar Saini, got caught by the tail rotor of an aircraft at Kedarnath helipad. He unwittingly walked into the tail rotor. According to some sources, He went across with the intention of taking a selfie, RIP, very sad and unfortunate.

https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2023/08/0...e-to-be-found/

https://apnlive.com/india-news/uttar...fie-kedarnath/

The clip shows it happen,It happened in April and was filmed from the front, so just posting the link as a quote, view at your own discretion, horrid sound

I have removed the link, if you wish to see it, google his name, at least it was quick, and he probably never felt it, other reports say he went around the back to board from the other side..


..

[Sir Korsky]

Well he won't do that again.

[MechEngr]

" the UCADA official was attempting to board the helicopter from the wrong side despite the pilot’s instructions" not a selfie.

That seems one of the common passenger death causes - tail rotor or walking into a propeller. I looked for the other recent one that a passenger supposedly ran from the building and into the tail rotor, but appeared to be the same sort of case. I suppose that staying under spinning main rotor blades is unnerving and going around the tail gives the appearance of greater safety than scooting around the nose.

[NutLoose]

I did add that later in the blurb as there are 2 different reports on the cause and by the time I added the other, one could not correct the title.

Other link I posted above.

In a tragic mishap, an Uttarakhand government official died on Sunday after being hit by helicopter blades while clicking a selfie in Kedarnath.

[MechEngr]

Saw that too. At least it was quick and surprising.

[twinstar_ca]

every driver's nightmare... feel that in the pedals..

[MechEngr]

I guess stickers or paint with heads and hands being severed put along the tail boom is bad for business?

[212man]

Originally Posted by MechEngr

I guess stickers or paint with heads and hands being severed put along the tail boom is bad for business?

Pretty sure people that don’t see 2m rotating blades don’t notice stickers

[Bell_ringer]

Originally Posted by 212man

Pretty sure people that don’t see 2m rotating blades don’t notice stickers

It’s hard to see anything if you’re staring at your phone.
If the number of videos of people walking into glass doors while on the phone is an indicator, it is surprising this doesn’t happen more often.

[212man]

Originally Posted by Bell_ringer

It’s hard to see anything if you’re staring at your phone.
If the number of videos of people walking into glass doors while on the phone is an indicator, it is surprising this doesn’t happen more often.

I think more people walk through doors than fly on helicopters (or not fly, in this case). I must say, it’s a very distinctive noise 😳

[MechEngr]

"Times of India reports the UCADA official was attempting to board the helicopter from the wrong side despite the pilot’s instructions."
https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2023/08/0...e-to-be-found/

At some point in readying to take the passenger to the aircraft I think the operators being able to point to the visible warning would encourage most people to avoid going that way. A grey blur may not stand out enough as a warning. Perhaps the remaining and future UCADA (Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority) members will consider this.

Their Mission:

To develop a self-sustainable civil aviation sector in the state of Uttarakhand which can provide safe, secured and convenient travel to any part of the state thereby enhancing trade, tourism & economy of the entire state.

My bolding.

[EEngr]

"board the helicopter from the wrong side"

Not a helicopter passenger/expert here. By "wrong side" do they mean approaching from the rear? Or is there a preferred side left/right, possibly to keep boarding pax in pilot's view?

[[email protected]]

Just takes one member of ground crew to prevent this - they stand in the way and direct the pax, not really rocket science is it?

[SASless]

No matter how simple and clearly worded.....signs only work if you see them, read them, and do what they advise.

[Devil 49]

Originally Posted by EEngr

"board the helicopter from the wrong side"

Not a helicopter passenger/expert here. By "wrong side" do they mean approaching from the rear? Or is there a preferred side left/right, possibly to keep boarding pax in pilot's view?

The correct side to board is in the direction the pilot indicates. That means, of course, that one establishes visual contact with the pilot and watch for a signal. If there's ground crew escorting, directing the boarding follow their instruction.
You only have to be wrong once...

[Tickle]

Sorry to learn about this.

Perhaps tail rotors need to be kept noisy rather than find ways to quieten them.

Kind of like the saying, "loud pipes save lives" in regards to vehicle exhausts.

[Bell_ringer]

Originally Posted by Tickle

Sorry to learn about this.

Perhaps tail rotors need to be kept noisy rather than find ways to quieten them.

Kind of like the saying, "loud pipes save lives" in regards to vehicle exhausts.

Considering all the other noise from an idle helicopter I am not sure you could make it noisy enough to have any real effect on a distracted passenger.

[Nescafe]

Considering all the other noise from an idle helicopter

My boss reckons that more noise comes from an idle pilot.

[Flyting]

Unfortunatly this happens every year.
Some manufacturers in the past have made it a little more safe by adding the safety bar at the bottom half of the TR disk - H125, Bell 47 & Enstrom or the R44 which has an extended bar.
Hopefully sooner or later they´ll all add something similar. I can´t image how it must feel for the pilot thereafter irrelevant of good a briefing he did...

[Evil Twin]

Darwinism at work