Two R44s involved in a midair collision in Finland
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2024
Posts: 153
Likes: 90
From: Finland
Two R44s involved in a midair collision in Finland
Two R44s has been involved in a midair collision near Eura (EFEU). According to a wittness one helicopter made a sudden turn and then the helicopters colided. One helicopter dropped quickly and one more slowly. According to flight following services both helicopers had taken off from Tallin, Estonia and they had been flying in a loose formation whole time.
Helicopters involved were OE-XOS and ES-ETR. There are reports that helicopters were heading to Piikajärvi (EFPI), Finland, and there were a total of five persons onboard.
The following is a report in Finnish including a video of the helicopers enroute prior to the accident.
https://www.is.fi/kotimaa/art-2000011240384.html
Helicopters involved were OE-XOS and ES-ETR. There are reports that helicopters were heading to Piikajärvi (EFPI), Finland, and there were a total of five persons onboard.
The following is a report in Finnish including a video of the helicopers enroute prior to the accident.
https://www.is.fi/kotimaa/art-2000011240384.html
Joined: Apr 2008
Aviation Qualifications: Spotter
Posts: 611
Likes: 249
From: on the ground
Avoid imitations
Joined: Nov 2000
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 15,110
Likes: 1,083
From: Wandering the FIR and cyberspace often at highly unsociable times
Another tragic, but avoidable accident.
As soon as I saw the video of the two aircraft apparently flying parallel to each other it brought back memories of my earlier times being required to fly in military “box” formation at low level. It can go badly wrong very quickly and I would never do it out of choice. I was once leading one such formation where our number two suddenly appeared from our left, very close and flying at us from our half past nine /ten o’clock position, which was across the cockpit. He had lost sight of us and without saying anything tried to rejoin by cutting a corner. I saw him first and had to go hard left to pass behind him!
Loose “Arrow” formation is far safer.
As soon as I saw the video of the two aircraft apparently flying parallel to each other it brought back memories of my earlier times being required to fly in military “box” formation at low level. It can go badly wrong very quickly and I would never do it out of choice. I was once leading one such formation where our number two suddenly appeared from our left, very close and flying at us from our half past nine /ten o’clock position, which was across the cockpit. He had lost sight of us and without saying anything tried to rejoin by cutting a corner. I saw him first and had to go hard left to pass behind him!
Loose “Arrow” formation is far safer.
Joined: Oct 1999
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 7,371
Likes: 926
From: Den Haag
Another tragic, but avoidable accident.
As soon as I saw the video of the two aircraft apparently flying parallel to each other it brought back memories of my earlier times being required to fly in military “box” formation at low level. It can go badly wrong very quickly and I would never do it out of choice. I was once leading one such formation where our number two suddenly appeared from our left, very close and flying at us from our half past nine /ten o’clock position, which was across the cockpit. He had lost sight of us and without saying anything tried to rejoin by cutting a corner. I saw him first and had to go hard left to pass behind him!
Loose “Arrow” formation is far safer.
As soon as I saw the video of the two aircraft apparently flying parallel to each other it brought back memories of my earlier times being required to fly in military “box” formation at low level. It can go badly wrong very quickly and I would never do it out of choice. I was once leading one such formation where our number two suddenly appeared from our left, very close and flying at us from our half past nine /ten o’clock position, which was across the cockpit. He had lost sight of us and without saying anything tried to rejoin by cutting a corner. I saw him first and had to go hard left to pass behind him!
Loose “Arrow” formation is far safer.
