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-   -   S61N crash Florida (https://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/584079-s61n-crash-florida.html)

Flapwing 6th September 2016 23:17

S61N crash Florida
 
N805AR crash, 3 fatalities

John Eacott 7th September 2016 00:42

Three dead after helicopter crashes, bursts into flames in US


Three people have been killed after a military-style helicopter crashed and burst into flames in central Florida, authorities say.

Police spokeswoman Karyn Barber said the crash occurred Tuesday afternoon (local time) in a largely developed area in Palm Bay, southeast of Orlando.

Firefighters and police arrived at the wreck to find the helicopter completely engulfed in flames.

Footage shows black smoke billowing from the older model, military-style helicopter as emergency crews worked to extinguish the blaze.

https://s.yimg.com/dh/ap/default/160906/Helii1.jpg

https://s.yimg.com/dh/ap/default/160906/elli22.jpg

The fire was contained within ten minutes.

"My understanding is that no one walked away," Brevard County Fire Rescue Public Information Officer Don Walker told ABC.

The helicopter operated out of the Melbourne Airport, and witnesses reported seeing it flying low before it went down.

Officials weren't immediately saying what caused the crash.

The identities of those killed have not yet been released.

SASless 7th September 2016 02:06

Cost of Freedom just went up.

Sad news!


DoD/State Department contractor outfit....started out as part of Blackwater back in about 2008.

Vertical Freedom 7th September 2016 07:19

Rest in Peace Brothers

riddlerin 8th September 2016 02:37

:(Rest In Peace

TowerDog 8th September 2016 03:18


. Three people have been killed after a military-style helicopter crashed and burst into flames in central Florida, authorities say.
Military-style helicopter?
That would be the -61, North Sea Platform workhorse.
A DC-3 would be a military style transport I guess.
Slow news day.
RIP to the dead, always sad to see these kind of head lines in the news. :(

Bampei 8th September 2016 12:46

AAR Airlift aircraft on a maintenance test flight.

Names not yet released of two pilots and one engineer.

Sad news....and I'm sure I will know the pilots, once identified. RIP

(Former AAR)

Geoffersincornwall 9th September 2016 09:32

Not a lot of rotational damage visible on the main or tail rotor blades??

212man 9th September 2016 09:42


Not a lot of rotational damage visible on the main or tail rotor blades??
Yes, I noted that, and no forward speed or debris trail.

OvertHawk 9th September 2016 10:45

The wreckage is very reminiscent of several 61's I've seen photos of that landed reasonably ok then burned out on the ground.

Maybe it's possible that this was a forced landing and events overtook the crew before they could escape?

Very sad whatever the circumstances.

212man 9th September 2016 11:39


Maybe it's possible that this was a forced landing and events overtook the crew before they could escape
Had that exact conversation with a friend recently. Reminds me of the Bristow Coastguard accident (G-BBHM): https://assets.publishing.service.go...004_G-BBHM.pdf

JohnDixson 9th September 2016 11:39

AAR website has pics of their machines and calls them 61N models. They look like 61Ls though: fixed landing gear. The 61N had sponsons, into which the gear retracted, and were FAA certified amphibious,.i.e., you could legally put them in the water. Just a nit. Good eyes, 212. MTF machine was probably empty other than the crew.

ScotiaQ 9th September 2016 11:56

The machine used to be an S61N UK Reg G-BXSN

industry insider 9th September 2016 12:53

Looks like it might have been one of your old girls with a V8 registration, 212?

ROTORSPOT - Production list for Sikorsky S-61

61717 VR-UDZ[2], V8-UDZ, N905AL, N805AR

XA290 9th September 2016 20:41


The machine used to be an S61N UK Reg G-BXSN
ScotiaQ....... I'm pretty sure it was not G-BXSN as that had a serial number of 61-761.

My last involvement with "SN" was in the Gulf of Mexico with air logistics and it became N161AL.

I agree the picture does look very similar to another ex-old friend, G-BBHM. Very sad indeed.

Variable Load 9th September 2016 21:12

The correct history was quoted by industry insider - it was an ex-Brunei Shell machine. I first flew it in 2002.

212man 10th September 2016 12:38

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/a...c/DSC_0017.jpg

This is her departing Anduki for the last time, to Muara port for the sea crossing to the US.

SASless 10th September 2016 15:27

N Models get the sponsons removed and fixed gear installed along with other Mods to provide a better configuration for Bush/Overland Only Operations.

Add Carson Blades and some other improvements and the lift capacity is much better than the standard N Model Configuration.

Phil Kemp would be a very good source of info on that probably.

nowherespecial 14th September 2016 09:14

Interim report:
http://ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviati...06X60042&key=1

industry insider 14th September 2016 10:08


The 41-seat capacity, tricycle-gear helicopter, serial number 61717, was manufactured in 1974. It was powered by two General Electric CT58-140-2, 1500-horsepower turboshaft engines.
It must have been overweight then? Seriously 41 seats? Shabby reporting and peer review process.


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