S92 vs bridge, bridge wins
S92 vs bridge, bridge wins
S92 vs Bridge
DENHAM SPRINGS - A vehicle towing a helicopter got stuck under the Range Avenue overpass Friday morning when the helicopter jammed.
Photos showed the helicopter on top of a towing trailer wedged under the overpass itself. It appeared the craft's rotor collided with a support beam on the underside of the bridge.
The Department of Transportation examined the overpass' structure and did not anticipate any shutdowns would be necessary. The Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office was also on scene working to resolve the situation.
Range Avenue was fully reopened shortly after 10:30 a.m. after the helicopter was removed. DOTD says there is no indication the bridge sustained any structural damage at that the interstate would not be impacted.
While officials have not released details on the aircraft involved, it appeared to resemble a Sikorsky S-92. Fresh from the production line, the helicopter goes for nearly $30 million.
It's unclear where the aircraft was heading or whether the driver will be ticketed for the crash.
Photos showed the helicopter on top of a towing trailer wedged under the overpass itself. It appeared the craft's rotor collided with a support beam on the underside of the bridge.
The Department of Transportation examined the overpass' structure and did not anticipate any shutdowns would be necessary. The Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office was also on scene working to resolve the situation.
Range Avenue was fully reopened shortly after 10:30 a.m. after the helicopter was removed. DOTD says there is no indication the bridge sustained any structural damage at that the interstate would not be impacted.
While officials have not released details on the aircraft involved, it appeared to resemble a Sikorsky S-92. Fresh from the production line, the helicopter goes for nearly $30 million.
It's unclear where the aircraft was heading or whether the driver will be ticketed for the crash.
Last edited by Senior Pilot; 22nd Sep 2023 at 19:10. Reason: Add quote; it helps Rotorheads know what the thread is about
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Ouch!! Worlds fastest MGB removal! That’s a write off I’d say! Bits of frame attached to the box still. Would be good to see with the covers off.
Last edited by tonkaplonka; 22nd Sep 2023 at 19:56.
There shall be an interesting back story to this event.
Transporting oversized loads is a very common practice done every day for all sorts of items.
There is a thing called a load stick.....that Drivers use to measure the vertical height of the loaded trailer.
Oversized loads (in most States) require a permit from the State that sets forth the exact route the Trucker is to follow, and all of the bridges have a Standard (and measured height).
The State's that do. not specify the route do declare what minimum heights for particular roadways are....and the Trucker. has to carefully choose his route.
All that being said...road way surface and any loading of the bridge structure such as a train can make a critical difference when there is scant clearance....sometimes you have to reduce tire pressure to make it under.
Some insurance company is going to be investigating this event very carefully looking for a way out.
The first photo in this article is pretty suggestive of the damage.
https://www.wafb.com/2023/09/22/offi...nes-back-open/
Transporting oversized loads is a very common practice done every day for all sorts of items.
There is a thing called a load stick.....that Drivers use to measure the vertical height of the loaded trailer.
Oversized loads (in most States) require a permit from the State that sets forth the exact route the Trucker is to follow, and all of the bridges have a Standard (and measured height).
The State's that do. not specify the route do declare what minimum heights for particular roadways are....and the Trucker. has to carefully choose his route.
All that being said...road way surface and any loading of the bridge structure such as a train can make a critical difference when there is scant clearance....sometimes you have to reduce tire pressure to make it under.
Some insurance company is going to be investigating this event very carefully looking for a way out.
The first photo in this article is pretty suggestive of the damage.
https://www.wafb.com/2023/09/22/offi...nes-back-open/
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Odd - Google maps clearly shows a 15' sign on the bridge for the opposite side lanes exactly where the unpainted spot is above the helicopter.
https://www.google.com/maps/@30.4544...8192?entry=ttu
Shame on the driver or dispatcher for not checking the route - there are maps, but someone took down a critical warning sign.
The state DoT has been very very bad for a long time. It was there during construction in 2011, but gone by 2015.
https://www.google.com/maps/@30.4544...8192?entry=ttu
Shame on the driver or dispatcher for not checking the route - there are maps, but someone took down a critical warning sign.
The state DoT has been very very bad for a long time. It was there during construction in 2011, but gone by 2015.
You're assuming the driver was on his approved route.
A little over 40 years ago, GE was shipping one of the calibrated and fully instrumented CF6-80A engines going to be installed on the first GE powered 767-200.
The driver took a little detour from the approved route so he could 'visit' his lady friend. Sure enough, he hit a overpass with that multi-million dollar CF6 engine.
Quite a bit of scrambling to get another engine instrumented and calibrated to support the 767 flight test program.
Never heard what happened to the truck driver, although I suspect he had to find a new profession... Writing off a multi-million dollar aircraft engine tends to do nasty things to your insurance rates.
A little over 40 years ago, GE was shipping one of the calibrated and fully instrumented CF6-80A engines going to be installed on the first GE powered 767-200.
The driver took a little detour from the approved route so he could 'visit' his lady friend. Sure enough, he hit a overpass with that multi-million dollar CF6 engine.
Quite a bit of scrambling to get another engine instrumented and calibrated to support the 767 flight test program.
Never heard what happened to the truck driver, although I suspect he had to find a new profession... Writing off a multi-million dollar aircraft engine tends to do nasty things to your insurance rates.
Last edited by tdracer; 23rd Sep 2023 at 01:27.
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I find it incredible that having a $10m load on the back (or any load for that matter) that this could happen. I would have wing walkers at every overpass..even knowing it will fit. "...umm, I'm not sure. Stopping" Amazing. 
Blue paint job , looks to be a Bristow machine with a lump of the fwd main beam still attached to the MGB, alloy main beam so pre S/N 244, won't need to do 150 hrly insp now, should help a little with parts shortages 
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Last edited by Blackhawk9; 23rd Sep 2023 at 05:33.
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MechEngr - check the press images (eg the town mane in the green sign) and you’ll find it was travelling under the bridge from the opposite direction, where there is no height restriction sign on GSV (interesting from a potential court case point of view)
Also, another airframe waiting on an S92 rotor head, potentially- but the airframe damage may ace that in the insurance assessment as suggested in other posts
Also, another airframe waiting on an S92 rotor head, potentially- but the airframe damage may ace that in the insurance assessment as suggested in other posts
Odd - Google maps clearly shows a 15' sign on the bridge for the opposite side lanes exactly where the unpainted spot is above the helicopter.
https://www.google.com/maps/@30.4544...8192?entry=ttu
Shame on the driver or dispatcher for not checking the route - there are maps, but someone took down a critical warning sign.
The state DoT has been very very bad for a long time. It was there during construction in 2011, but gone by 2015.
https://www.google.com/maps/@30.4544...8192?entry=ttu
Shame on the driver or dispatcher for not checking the route - there are maps, but someone took down a critical warning sign.
The state DoT has been very very bad for a long time. It was there during construction in 2011, but gone by 2015.
It amazes me that in this day and age there is not a radar sensor (akin to a parking sensor) on the top of all trucks , buses etc that scans ahead and shrieks if it sees a height hazard (in the case of a truck it would need to be programmed with the height of the load obviously).
Similarly - I'm surprised that bridges that have been hit multiple times are not fitted with a similar system that would flash big red lights and klaxons if it sees something too big coming towards it.
Similarly - I'm surprised that bridges that have been hit multiple times are not fitted with a similar system that would flash big red lights and klaxons if it sees something too big coming towards it.
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Although a lot of S-92's seem to get transported by road all the time, by coincidence the oldest production example (G-VIND 92006) has recently been deregistered and exported to USA!
It is a rumour network after all....
It is a rumour network after all....
It amazes me that in this day and age there is not a radar sensor (akin to a parking sensor) on the top of all trucks , buses etc that scans ahead and shrieks if it sees a height hazard (in the case of a truck it would need to be programmed with the height of the load obviously).
Similarly - I'm surprised that bridges that have been hit multiple times are not fitted with a similar system that would flash big red lights and klaxons if it sees something too big coming towards it.
Similarly - I'm surprised that bridges that have been hit multiple times are not fitted with a similar system that would flash big red lights and klaxons if it sees something too big coming towards it.
The Avincis paint jobs were primarily blue, with white and gold details, weren’t they?
The rumor is the truck was not on its approved route. And given its itinerary maybe the driver stopped for an unscheduled pit-stop? The other rumor is it was on its way to have work done at a shop in LFT. Whether it was 92006 don't know. But if it is then its more a homecoming as 92006 was the launch S/N and started life as N192PH. Ironically it spent months in the hangar years ago for a non-standard repair after it caught fire on the ground and melted most of the control quadrant on the roof. Never thought it would fly after that one. Will be interesting to see how it fares after this one.
The rumor is the truck was not on its approved route. And given its itinerary maybe the driver stopped for an unscheduled pit-stop? The other rumor is it was on its way to have work done at a shop in LFT. Whether it was 92006 don't know. But if it is then its more a homecoming as 92006 was the launch S/N and started life as N192PH. Ironically it spent months in the hangar years ago for a non-standard repair after it caught fire on the ground and melted most of the control quadrant on the roof. Never thought it would fly after that one. Will be interesting to see how it fares after this one.