HEMS crash Turkey
 

Helicopter crash in fog

What a tragedy. Horrible to watch. Rest in peace to those involved.

I hate to be the one to say it, but why that departure profile in those conditions around high-rise buildings, or even why try to lift at all?

If they'd followed an actual procedure, it may have ended well... Doesn't look like anything I've known...

I believe there was rapidly increasing divergence of intended and actual flight path. The origin of accident was more likely in the descission making process that led to take off in what appears to be marginal visibility conditions.

Seeing the intensity of the sun I guess they were expecting to be above the low cloud layer (fog) when reaching TDP, while hoping to keep visual reference to the helipad until that point. At some point they seem to have lost visual contact with the ground and failed to notice their increasing rearward drift without gaining altitude.

Seems obvious to me that a Class 1 performance departure profile was attempted but sufficient visual references were lost.

These slow vertical profiles require good visual cues, especially the ones that include a backwards segment. They are designed purely to mitigate the effects of possible engine failure and definitely not suitable as very low visibility departure profiles.

Unfortunately, trying to mitigate one risk (which these days is a relatively small one, due to the very good reliability of modern turbine engines) exposed the aircraft to the more immediate one and the ultimate price was paid. Tragic.

I’m fully aware that this operation, like the many similar ones around the world, is most likely to be obliged to operate to Class 1 performance rules. The only thing to be said about that is that the departure attempt should not have been attempted in those conditions. Again, this terrible accident highlights the most difficult thing about becoming a helicopter pilot is knowing when to say “No”.

That shining Sun was a silent Siren's Call and just plain Fool's Gold.

Any discussion of PC1 etc is ignoring the truth of the matter.

You must have adequate visual reference to control the helicopter or you must use Instrument Flying Techniques and procedures.

Had the pilot performed the old fashioned Instrument Takeoff (ITO) used literally millions of times by US Army Aviators (other militaries have similar boiler plate design procedures) the take off would not have ended the way it did.

He did not for whatever reason and the result we know ended with people being killed needlessly.

There is no sugar coating it and there should not be.

This worrying about engine failures when that is the least of one's risks is proof positive of what is wrong with the administrative state within government.

A noted helicopter expert correctly told us our industry spends and inordinate amount of time, money, and energy training for malfunctions that are extremely rare and usually not much of a risk....and we ignore those that pose great risk to us but are very hard to train for.

Why is it we see the same kinds of bone headed ways of killing people and destroying helicopters?

Why can we not see some innovation in that regard where just once we see a new, fresh, and innovative departure of a pilot, crew, and passengers?

This accident did not fail because of PC 1...not at all.

It failed due to unsatisfactory airmanship and decision making.

What say you delay any discussion of PC 1 and start with analyzing the actual cause.

It is not a question of if this was a PC 1 Take Off profile or not as but rather why did he even attempt the takeoff at all. Let's start with that decision to go rather than say "No!".

If we can understand that...then the rest will come in turn as I bet we shall see problems and failures that set the Pilot up for failure. I can all but guarantee you he had lots of help from his Training Department, Ops Manager, Chief Pilot and others.

Don`t these wonder-ful(of goodies)helos have a `PAGE` on the HSI that gives you a `God`s eye` view of where you are,showing your longitudinal/lateral velocities,like an old-fashioned Doppler Hover -meter...?

So true SAS, can recall instrument take offs from platforms when you couldn't see the water due fog, bet you do too, and single pilot.

We've all been there, just the fortunate ones have burned up enough lives over the years to have become experienced enough to say no - and prepared to walk away from the job.

Yes - if the model number is preceded by "H" as in Helionix and it can be "coupled" but I doubt it would be wise to use it as an intended procedure.

Are there any new pilots reading this? Any pilots new to the industry? Low time guys hoping for your big break? PAY ATTENTION........

People DIED, WHY?:

Sometimes you may not like what us old farts have to say, as we sit in the corner and watch.... You can have ALL the instruments you like, but YOUR decisions will kill you in the end if you let them.

For those newbies here have a good hard listen to Gordy He has learnt the hard way - ask him about his wire strike and how he is lucky to be here.

And at least you arent as old as SASless yet :E

Guess he didn’t read up on the Norfolk low viz accident a few years ago, a classic read on how not to do it…
Could have saved them all, never stop learning to keep on burning… RIP

Helionix equipped machines have GPS-based hover hold and a pure vertical PC1 take off profile using that mode. It might have saved them that day, but it would have been a new seiren call and not improved the critical decission making.

Unfortunately there is no instrument telling you that someone’s built a hospital behind you….

What’s the chances of him never having operated out of there previously, more likely he knew the area intimately as a HEMS pilot in Turkey.

Griffo is one generation behind me and grew up with an intimate knowledge of helicopter flying over the North Sea....and took it up himself for a career.

He learned some lessons from my generation and some of his own later on when it was his turn.

We can certainly learn from his experience and participation in the industry as well.

No doubt he has passed that along to the generation that followed his....just as each generation should do.

The key is for the succeeding bunch to pay attention and be inquisitive and seek learning rather than try to make their own mistakes to provide the learning.

Hangar Talk, chat over Tea, Coffee, or Beer can be an excellent venue for learning.

Stories re-told of flights that did not remain boring and routine passed along that way offer a great vehicle for the transfer of experience.

Also...we got old and senile through more than mere luck....although that does figure in some of us being here and no matter what...one cannot trump luck with experience or brains.

I endorse reading of Ernest Gann books re aviation to be a necessary part of a Pilot's professional reading.

The innovation is actually there: I’ve seen new Helionix equipped aircraft (H145, H160 etc) fly the perf cat 1 profiles completely automatic, including an automatic recovery or departure in case of an engine failure. It would have prevented an accident like this and still have provided the security in case of an (unlikely) engine failure.
However I agree with you, if you don’t have these goodies, then you should evaluate the risks and either don’t go, or select a flight profile with the lowest risks.