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-   -   German Tiger down in Mali (https://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/597533-german-tiger-down-mali.html)

Flying Bull 26th Jul 2017 21:37

German Tiger down in Mali
 
A german Tiger crashed and burned in Mali, both pilots dead :-(
Eilmeldung: Zwei deutsche Soldaten in Mali ums Leben gekommen | tagesschau.de
Assumed technical defect - no further details, only eye witnesses (second helicopter in the area)

RIP

Praet 26th Jul 2017 22:04

According to Der Spiegel, the crew of a second Tiger following the crashed helicopter reported that they suddenly went into a steep dive and hit the ground at high speed, without any kind of radio communication or distress call. The crash occured after 70 kilometers of flight while en route to a mission area where fighting on the ground was reported about 150 kilometers from the base, which is why enemy action currently is considered unlikely.

skadi 9th Aug 2017 08:47

According to the latest news, the Tiger was in cruise flight ( 135kts 1800ft Gnd) when the nose dropped suddenly and the helicopter crashed 10 seconds later. During the dive the mainrotorblades detached. The crash was not survivable.

skadi

atakacs 9th Aug 2017 09:03

Mechanical failure? Suicidal pilot (not a first I'm afraid)? Apparently no hostile fire reported.

[email protected] 9th Aug 2017 09:06

Has the Tiger got a movable horizontal stabiliser like the Apache?

A runaway on that would give sudden undemanded pitch down.

SuperF 9th Aug 2017 09:13

surely the horizontal stab could be overcome from flight controls? i.e. it wouldn't create an uncontrollable dive!!!

skadi 9th Aug 2017 09:59


Originally Posted by [email protected] (Post 9856751)
Has the Tiger got a movable horizontal stabiliser like the Apache?

A runaway on that would give sudden undemanded pitch down.


No, it's fixed.

skadi

[email protected] 9th Aug 2017 10:36


surely the horizontal stab could be overcome from flight controls? i.e. it wouldn't create an uncontrollable dive!!!
it happened in the Blackhawk ISTR.

Thanks Skadi - maybe an AFCS or Hyd malfunction.

212man 9th Aug 2017 14:41


No, it's fixed.

skadi
Maybe it failed - it would not be the first time on an AH/EC/AS/SA product.

OldblokeTH53 9th Aug 2017 16:03

German helicopter lost rotors before Mali crash - report | World | Reuters


BERLIN (Reuters) - A German military helicopter that crashed while flying a peacekeeping mission in Mali began to break up while in flight, losing its rotor, according to a defence ministry report seen by Reuters.

Two crew members were killed when one of Germany's four Tiger helicopters crashed in the West African nation's desert north last month. At the time, German officials said there were no signs it was downed by an attack.

An in-air break-up could point to maintenance or manufacturing issues having contributed to the crash, although the report said it was too early to speculate about the causes of the crash.

"According to information available so far, once the vehicle had started to descend, parts of the aircraft broke off, including the main rotor blades," the ministry report said, adding that the flight had proceeded normally until then.

The deployment of the Tiger helicopters to Mali earlier this year was controversial since the aircraft, made by Airbus, required extra maintenance given the high heat and other environmental conditions in the desert country but officials said at the time the four vehicles had been performing normally.

The report said the aircraft had been flying at 250 kilometres (155 miles) per hour at a height of 550 metres (1,800 feet) when it "suddenly sank its nose and entered a sharp dive." The helicopter crashed 10 seconds later and burst into flame.

Germany agreed to deploy the four Tiger and four NH-90 transport helicopters to Mali earlier this year after the Dutch military said it could not continue the work.

But Germany's increased support was heavily debated in parliament, and required a waiver from the German military allowing the helicopters to operate in higher temperatures.

German armed forces operate a fleet of 27 of the helicopters.

Reporting by Sabine Siebold; Writing by Thomas Escritt; Editing by Sandra Maler

albatross 9th Aug 2017 16:31

Does the Tiger transmission / rotor system have any commonality with the EC225?

Flying Bull 9th Aug 2017 20:07


Originally Posted by albatross (Post 9857198)
Does the Tiger transmission / rotor system have any commonality with the EC225?

No, EC225 has five blades, the Tiger only four

albatross 9th Aug 2017 20:41


Originally Posted by Flying Bull (Post 9857400)
No, EC225 has five blades, the Tiger only four

I was aware of the different number of blades but wondered about the gearbox.

Jack Carson 9th Aug 2017 21:39

The stabilator on the Blackhawk
 

Originally Posted by [email protected] (Post 9856828)
it happened in the Blackhawk ISTR.

Thanks Skadi - maybe an AFCS or Hyd malfunction.

The stabilator on the Blackhawk at 39 degrees trailing edge down provides more pitch control power than can be reacted by the main rotor pitch axis. Manual over rides were provided at the base of each cyclic stick grip to provide stabilator override in the event of a problem.

rrekn 15th Aug 2017 13:25

I hear that Australia has grounded their Tigers now too...

RickNRoll 16th Aug 2017 06:13

According to the Australian news Airbus has requested that they be grounded.

rrekn 16th Aug 2017 10:50

I just heard that Bell's marketing guy broke his ankle trying to get down to Canberra so fast...

Mee3 16th Aug 2017 11:30


Originally Posted by 212man (Post 9857076)
Maybe it failed - it would not be the first time on an AH/EC/AS/SA product.

You anger is qualified to join the dark side.

recceguy 16th Aug 2017 13:37

Yeap ... and Bell helicopters just grounded the whole US fleet of Bell 407 after the fatal crash of such a police helicopter in Charlottesville last week-end.

212man 16th Aug 2017 13:37


Originally Posted by Mee3 (Post 9863593)
You anger is qualified to join the dark side.

Anger? Where do you see that? It was a statement of fact that I'm aware of at least three failures, two of which provided a very interesting initial 'ride' for their crews until brought under control - with altitude to do so - and one that was fatal (http://www.mot.gov.my/SiteCollection...B%20latest.pdf)

KiwiNedNZ 16th Aug 2017 21:21


Yeap ... and Bell helicopters just grounded the whole US fleet of Bell 407 after the fatal crash of such a police helicopter in Charlottesville last week-end.
Fake News :ok: Just checked with the Bell 407 Product Manager and he said totally incorrect.

Mee3 16th Aug 2017 23:02


Originally Posted by 212man (Post 9863735)
Anger? Where do you see that? It was a statement of fact that I'm aware of at least three failures, two of which provided a very interesting initial 'ride' for their crews until brought under control - with altitude to do so - and one that was fatal (http://www.mot.gov.my/SiteCollection...B%20latest.pdf)

Ugh? Cliff's broken tail dauphin?
Is this a desperate attempt to make a point?

Rotate too late 16th Aug 2017 23:05

Not beyond the realms of possibility that the dive was an instinctive reaction to the onset of something ominous. The driver sticking it towards the ground in an attempt to land on possibly? Whilst the wing would have seen the dive, he probably wouldn't have noticed high vibration or other indications being given to the crew. I just hope that there are significant data gathering devices in the Tiger. I'm forever shucked how rotary seems to get away with a real lack of black boxes.
I hope they didn't suffer. Rest in peace.

212man 17th Aug 2017 11:53


Originally Posted by Mee3 (Post 9864212)
Ugh? Cliff's broken tail dauphin?
Is this a desperate attempt to make a point?

Are you smoking something or just trolling? I take it you are not aware that I'm a huge Airbus fan :ugh:

recceguy 17th Aug 2017 12:44

" Bell helicopters just grounded the whole US fleet of Bell 407 after the fatal crash of such a police helicopter in Charlottesville last week-end "


Originally Posted by KiwiNedNZ (Post 9864134)
Fake News :ok: Just checked with the Bell 407 Product Manager and he said totally incorrect.

My poor Kiwi, it was sarcastic - and you missed the point totally. Let's say it's a different culture....

Mee3 17th Aug 2017 13:51


Originally Posted by 212man (Post 9864698)
Are you smoking something or just trolling? I take it you are not aware that I'm a huge Airbus fan :ugh:

just don't think you should drag him into this.

212man 17th Aug 2017 14:31


Originally Posted by Mee3 (Post 9864798)
just don't think you should drag him into this.


I'm not dragging anybody into anything. I am, however, pointing out that there is actual evidence to support the fact that if you are in the cruise at low level and the horizontal stabiliser decides to depart/fold up, you will be in the ground pretty sharpish. Similarly, if you are in the cruise at altitude and the same thing happens, you will have a wild ride before (hopefully) regaining control. AS332s have been there.....

[email protected] 17th Aug 2017 14:54

212 man - as demonstrated many times on these pages, people will read all sorts of things into what is meant to be a straightforward statement of fact.

And we wonder where the Daily Mail gets all its readers from..........:ok:

RickNRoll 20th Aug 2017 06:59

According to this story.
Australia grounds Tiger fleet after German helicopter crash in Mali | Australian Aviation

"The Australian" made the claim that Airbus had grounded the Tiger. No such action has been made by AH. The reporter appears to have misunderstood the warning issued by AH.

DHC4 2nd Sep 2017 11:56

Any updates, seems to have gone a bit quite.

Ian Corrigible 7th Sep 2017 13:55

Reuters: Airbus issues safety advice on Tiger helicopters flying in turbulence

Airbus Helicopters has warned pilots of its Tiger military helicopters to be careful of rapid switches from auto pilot to manual mode during turbulence, after initial indications that such a switch may have played a role in a fatal crash in Mali.

According to a source who has seen the Airbus Helicopters’ bulletin that carried the warning, the bulletin said an unexpected switch from automatic to manual flight mode “may have played a role in the accident, according to information currently available”. The bulletin did not say whether the unexpected switch had happened automatically or been done manually.

Airbus said its safety guidance - sent to operators in Germany, Australia, France and Spain - was meant to “standardise all flight manuals and remind operators that crews must adjust their attention to environmental conditions while using the auto pilot during turbulence.”

The guidance reiterated passages already in the flight manuals which instruct pilots not to intentionally enter areas with more than moderate turbulence, and to avoid flying through “areas of severe turbulence.”
I/C

Spunk 7th Sep 2017 18:11

So, from now on war will only take place when the wind is calm?🤔

Otterotor 7th Sep 2017 18:53

Tiger
 
And in 'not-very-hot' climate locales!:confused: Otter

MightyGem 15th Sep 2017 13:55


the bulletin said an unexpected switch from automatic to manual flight mode “may have played a role in the accident
How does the system know whether it's an unexpected switch form auto to manual? What is an "unexpected" switch?

Ian Corrigible 15th Sep 2017 14:15

The Rolls Royce M250's 'reversion to manual' issues from a decade ago might be one such example, i.e. where the EMC-35 FADEC was failing unexpectedly and reverting to manual hyd backup, resulting in several fatalities (civil and military), due both to pilots not immediately realizing that the reversion had occurred, as well as due to pilot workload issues.

I/C

rrekn 16th Sep 2017 12:11


Originally Posted by MightyGem (Post 9892694)
How does the system know whether it's an unexpected switch form auto to manual? What is an "unexpected" switch?

The 'unexpected' switch is right next to the 'any' Key...

Praet 18th Sep 2017 18:38

Quips aside, as far as was published* the AFCS was in "altitude hold" mode and disengaged after aircraft movement due to turbulence caused its control inputs to exceed limits and it subsequently reverted to a manual stabilization mode.
This is not considered to be the cause of the mishap, rather something that may have developed during the event and contributed to the outcome. I assume this is an early result of accessing the FDR data that was found salvageable (while the CVR apparently is not).

*: Thomas Wiegold published a German language article on the Airbus ASB issued after the crash on his blog

TeeS 18th Sep 2017 19:24


rapid switches from auto pilot to manual mode during turbulence,
So how do you carry out a 'slow' switch from autopilot to manual mode?

TeeS

BOBAKAT 19th Sep 2017 04:36

OK, you switch ( or it switch by himself )from auto to manual due to turbulences. Why not ?
But :
1/ Why you have the nose full down until the impact ?
2/ Why the second Tiger of the team don't have the same turbulences and switch change mode ?
Many years ago, some same accident involve the "Alouette" family. At this time it was the horizontal stabilizer inflight broke . At cruise speed : 80 kts, the stabilizer broke and the Alouette fall down nose down....
Now imagine the Tiger at cruise speed : 135 kts the same things happen . ....

skadi 16th Oct 2017 08:45

Parts of the enginecowling were found in the desert some kilometers away from the crashsite...

skadi


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