Aerial Filming accident New Mexico
 

August 26th, minor injuries in a R44 that didn't burn.

Shooting a hunting show, another badge of honour for a reality TV crew dressing in fatigues!


This report mentions settling with power 4 pob and density altitude (Clayton New Mexico, elevation 2600 meters)
CEN13LA507

TV company website
The Heart-Stopping Moment 3 Cameras Capture a Hunting Show?s Helicopter Crash | Video | TheBlaze.com




Interviews




mickjoebill

"A gust of wind took their helicopter down ..."

Yep, that happens a fair bit!

They don't mention what injuries the pilot sustained - I hope at least a broken nose courtesy of the law-enforcement guy:ok:

Is it an illusion or are the final 100 yards sideways prior to 'touchdown'?

It's always a good idea to land facing the way you're going: or so M'Larky Jim used to tell me :hmm:

I think I hear a bang as they pass over the powerline just prior to impact.

3pm New Mexico, shadow indicates a downwind track in the 160-170 degree wind.

Downwind, high DA - 3 pax and camera gear.

Numbnuts.

No problem at all flying downwind, I do all the time. As long as you keep the airspeed up and maintain good SA. As much as I detest Robbies, we still don't know what happened so we should not be defaulting to the pointing fingers position.

What did the woman say about 2min 48 sec area?

"No problem flying downwind..." We all know that. We all do it. But ask yourself, given the status of this flight and the weight involved with a high DA, would you?

Or even, "is it absolutely necessary to be downwind?"

This pilot needs to be taken to a wire fence and taught how to take-off like a bird - downwind. Get the feel. Then try some downwind emergency stops (where the last thing you ever do is actually land downwind). Then ballast up the same helicopter and try it all over again.

Basic, PPL stuff. Every expert pilot should know this and have hours of it.

And only expert pilots should be flying aerial work tasks, let alone charter.

Just watched and listened again . I think he may have clipped the wire.

I hear it but hard to say what it is. Doesn't seem to disrupt the ship and he looks a little high at that point to've caught the wire. There are two quieter versions of the same sound, firstly just as the shadow touches the tree, and then as the shadow crosses the far bank of the road... some sort of wind/mic type anomaly? It's not a clear film or soundtrack though.

I think the fisheye lens on the upper left screen gives an exaggerated feeling of height. Also It appears he is flaring which may put the tail low. After the bang/ twang or whatever it was the nose does come slightly right.
As you say hard to tell.
Well I guess the accident report will clear that up!

A most apt observation.

Another most apt observation, but don't forget all of the other maladies, starting with, "engine seemed to lack power."

An opportune time to warn people about these "gust of winds" and slightly warmer temperature that occur this time of year over here and can cause a valve stem to just grip a bit when one is pulling a bit more power because of the extra temperature and less performance margins..

Time for CP's and all experienced pilots to do some earnest mentoring, as every year around this time someone gets done in or at least crashes. Winds and unpredictable gusts (up down, every which way) here lately have been diabolical this year.

cheers tet.