Pilot dies during takeoff ORD
 

Sad to hear, though what’s better than leaving while doing something you love? RIP

​​​​​​​A disconnect here?

Absolutely bang on radar101!

You beat me to it!

For those wanting single pilot here is an interesting narrative for a helicopter accident associated with the offshore oil industry in the Gulf of Mexico.

On October 26, 2022, about 1710 central daylight time, a Bell 407 helicopter, N34BM, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident in the Gulf of Mexico, about 25 miles south of Morgan City, Louisiana. The pilot sustained fatal injuries, and two passengers sustained serious injuries. The helicopter was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 air taxi flight.

On the morning of the accident, the helicopter originated from the Westwind Helicopter base (IYA) in Abbeville, Louisiana, to transport two workers to several offshore platforms in the Gulf of Mexico to perform telecommunications work on the platforms. The flight arrived at the first platform, Green Canyon 18 (GC18), about 0848. The helicopter was refueled at GC18, and the pilot and passengers had lunch on the platform. They departed GC18 about 1402, proceeded to platform Ship Shoal 349 (SS349), and landed there about 1411. The helicopter departed SS349 about 1631 for the return flight to IYA.

About 1720, the operator received an “overdue” message from their Sky Connect flight following system. After many attempts to communicate with the pilot/helicopter, the operator launched a search helicopter (N1416) toward the accident helicopter’s last known position.

Search and rescue operations were coordinated with local authorities and the Coast Guard. About 1836, N1416 spotted the accident helicopter’s wreckage floating in the water inverted with the skid-mounted float system deployed. Two survivors were seen clinging to the top (on the belly) of the helicopter.

The two surviving passengers were rescued by a Coast Guard helicopter and transported to a hospital. The body of the pilot was later recovered through coordinated efforts from the operator, local authorities, and the Coast Guard.

The helicopter wreckage position was marked, and additional flotation was attached. During efforts to retrieve the wreckage, the engine, transmission, flight controls, some of the cabin structure, tail boom, and main rotors were lost at sea due to unfavorable sea conditions. The only portions of the helicopter wreckage that were recovered were the intermediate fuselage, baggage compartment, and the landing gear skids. The skid-mounted floats were still attached and deployed.

Both surviving passengers were interviewed. One passenger was seated in the right rear cabin seat and the other passenger was seated in the left front cockpit seat when the accident occurred. The rear seat passenger stated that he was awakened from a “change in noise,” and saw the pilot “slumped over, “and the helicopter was descending toward the water.

The front left seat passenger stated that the pilot told him that “he was not going to make it.” The passenger asked the pilot if there was a problem with the helicopter, and the pilot told him that it is not the helicopter, “it is me.” The front seat passenger saw the pilot slump over and was not responsive. The passenger reached over to the flight controls, retarded the throttle, and attempted to control the helicopter until water impact. The passenger estimated that he started to control the helicopter about 400 ft above the water. At some point during the descent, the passenger activated the skid-mounted float system.

Both surviving passengers stated that after the helicopter impacted the water, and although they were seriously injured, they managed to get out and waited on top of the belly of the floating inverted helicopter. Both passengers stated that the flight was normal until the pilot became incapacitated.

Here is the recording: “CAPTAIN IS OUT”. Captain incapacitation. Co-pilot saved the situation. Chicago O’Hare. Real ATC

I thought the ICAO single pilot concept was for the cruise? There would still be 2 pilots for t/o and ldg, however, a single pilot in the cruise. It would mean a 3 pilot trip becoming 2 pilot, saving the airlines a fortune in staffing costs.

"Captain is out."
 

No Mayday? Or was that trimmed in the video? Interesting how all those things you do in an incapacitation scenario in the simulator like squawking 7700, requesting stairs to be waiting on the taxiway, ambulance and paramedics to meet the aircraft, maybe even a tug for after the shutdown and evacuation of the patient, etc etc, didn't seem to be important on the day.

You have a lot more time to do that when there's crew incapacitation in the cruise, while the FMS flies you towards the diversion airport, etc.

If you're right near the airport, it's aviate, navigate, communicate - and planning the ground response goes by the way.

True but sim excercises involve a lot of playing the game and ticking boxes (perhaps faux CRM?). In real life most of these items can and should be taken care of by others especially ATC and ops. If you're in Airbus land the right seater (in this case a check Capt) has steering so you just taxi to the gate.
I have heard of an aircraft returning on a mayday with fumes (controlled) having to wait for stand assignment. In that case the airport ops people should called in for very cold tea with no biscuits.

Those ground staff need to read the report and look at all the pictures from Saudia Flight 163 until they get the point!

That's the point, ATC were asking him if he wanted emergency services but I didn't hear any result there. If someone's incapacitated and you don't know how bad it is I'd have thought you'd get as much help as possible as soon as possible. At an airport that size I'd have thought this would be on the taxiway with everyone waiting.

Could be wrong but I got the impression the aircraft was stopped and a seat change was carried out. This all takes time.

Shutting down on a taxiway in this case only helps if they've got stairs or suitable ladders immediately available to get the paramedics and their kit onboard quickly.

Did I hear this correctly?
From what I heard on that ATC replay was that the FO was waiting for the Cabin Crew to get the Captain out of his seat, so that he, the FO, could get into the Captain’s seat and taxi the aircraft to the gate ?

Perhaps... I don't know the type, does it have nosewheel steering control from both pilot's seats? Perhaps, after an extremely stressful solo circuit piloting next to deceased colleague, the second pilot needed a brief break before taxiing in, which was probably not a high urgency. 'Just speculating....

I'm not a professional pilot and I've never been in the front of an E175, but I presume nosewheel steering is only available from the left seat.

You`ve got brakes on both sides,surely..?

Brakes, yes, steering, not always.

All Embraers I've flown only have a steering tiller on the LHS. Steering with rudder pedals is possible though, although all taxiing is performed by the LHS pilot and is not practiced by FOs even in the sim.