Idiot destroys AS350 (Squirrel)
 

Apologies if this has already been posted as it is some 5 years old, but it's too crazy not to post.

See if you can spot the cause straight away.Also look out for the poor pilot nearly being ejected.

I wonder if the chap responsible suffered any legal consequences?

I reckon the guy on the ground who pulled down on the cable has something to answer for...and he was damned lucky not to have the machine land on top of him!!!

old news. been posted a million times...

Who is the idiot?
The bonehead making minimum wage who has a poor grasp of physics? or the pilot that rigged/flew the load in such a way that his health and safety was dependent on a chap making minimum wage not doing anything stupid.

Poor planning and rigging, set the stage for this disaster. The idiot jumping to grab the rope was just the last link in a chain.

Ok can anyone explain to the layman what's happening here (ie what was the chopper supposed to do and why pulling the cable crashed it)?

Not sure what it was supposed to do but pulling the cable made it taut and pulled the longer part (going up to the left) into the rotor blades.....

He either stood up, or placed this tower in to position. then for some reason (i assume because many hooks require a bit of weight on the hook to release) was forced to descend next to the tower. He very likely asked the guy on the ground to give it a tug because it wouldn't release without any weight.

I would have used a remote hook or a grapple hook, or if he was just standing it up, hook two lines together. Don't ever descend next to your line.

Thanks!

Interestingly the cable seems to have survived the experience...