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Long Island helicopter accident Jan 2016

Teacher, Student Pilot Uninjured After Helicopter Crash Lands On Long Island Street

Quote:

COPIAGUE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) — A teacher and student pilot walked away unscathed after their helicopter crash landed in a residential area of Long Island.

The Robinson R22 helicopter attempted to make an emergency landing at Buena Vista Boulevard and East Alhambra Avenue in Copiague just before noon Wednesday after reporting engine problems, as reported by CBS2’s Carolyn Gusoff.

Neighbors found the chopper on its side. They were amazed that the 26-year-old pilot and flight instructor, Joseph Lombardo, and his 27-year-old student, Ming Chen, weren’t injured.

Air traffic controllers knew there was trouble-from the Mayday Transmission southwest of Republic Airport in Farmingdale.

Witness Laura St. Angelo heard the helicopter motor sputtering and saw the aircraft coming down.

“It was petrifying,” she told WCBS 880’s Sophia Hall. “I heard crash, boom.”

“It’s a miracle it didn’t hit a house, a miracle that they both were able to get out alive, that men that were working on a house ducked when the helicopter came over them — they ran for it,” St. Angelo said.

The teacher was operating the helicopter at the time and many at the scene are calling him a hero.

“I did see his face with that fear and I would like to hug that man,” St. Angelo said. “I’m just so grateful that he’s alive, both of them.”

The helicopter is owned by Academy of Aviation. The company says the experienced instructor was returning from a two-hour lesson when mechanical problems shut down the engine. The pilot is being hailed a hero for managing to find a place where no one would get hurt.

No injuries were reported on the ground.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CZvlRVbWEAAPyAJ.jpg

Not a bad effort :ok:

Quote:

returning from a two-hour lesson when mechanical problems shut down the engine.

Mechanical....yeah right... How much fuel do these carry..... "two hours" or more?

Speculation rules.... I count on all of you to speculate ifen it was me.... Education is power.....

NTSB preliminary report should give a hint.

Yes John, the R22 can hold more than 3 hours of fuel. However, with 2 on board the fuel margin won't be so great. As an instructor who regularly used to teach on R22s...and at 85kg...I very rarely took more than 90 minutes, plus a bit for mum, worth of fuel when instructing. Just speculating though.

Cheers FP.

Quote:

The teacher was operating the helicopter at the time and many at the scene are calling him a hero.

I concur. Anyone who flies a Robbo is a hero in my book any day of the week.
:8

Another report noted that it was the student's "first ever flight." An unfortunate introduction to the trade...

I/C

What's to teach?

Now you know you can use any public highway to allow you to 'land clear'!
Will be interesting to hear if the 'hero' gets prosecuted.......just speculating of course :=

Looking at Google streetview this is probably the worst spot to come down. How did they manage to hit the ground and NOT to hang themselves in all those cables.
They walked away from it so :ok::ok::ok:

A very good auto by the look of the skids and the main part of tail intact indicating pretty low ROD . Hopefully not good enough for it to be rebuilt !!

Great result. No casualties AND one less eggbeater cunningly disguised as a helicopter.

All together now "always look on the bright side of life......de do, de do, de do de do de do"

:p:p:p:p:p:E:E:E