Helicopter ditches in a loch in the Hebrides

[CharlieOneSix]

It appears to be an AS350 helicopter from PDG Aviation in Inverness. From other sources it seems the 58 year old pilot, the sole occupant, has not survived. The helicopter was involved in the underslung carrying of salmon although at the time of the accident it did not have a load.

Helicopter Ditching

For reference only and I am NOT saying this was the cause of the accident, there have been other accidents over the years involving the AS350 where in transit between loads the underslung cable has entered the tail rotor:

G-BXGA - Yorkshire

G-ORKY - Scotland

[CharlieOneSix]

The 3 url limit stopped me including the following above.

A fatal accident to a PLM Helicopters AS350 engaged on salmon transport occurred in 1997 when the underslung cable bounced off the loch surface into the tail rotor. PLM later became PDG Aviation.

https://flightsafety.org/hs/hs_jul_aug97.pdf

[Fox3WheresMyBanana]

Is it not possible to bring the free end of the sling up to the belly of the helicopter during transits without loads?
Wouldn't this just involve one extra thin wire, and avoid all these accidents?

[CharlieOneSix]

The problem is that with an AS350 it's a single pilot operation - no crewman. Your suggestion would probably work but it would have to be a motorised retraction. The transits between loads are more often than not of short duration so it wouldn't be implemented in those cases. I think it's more a case of pilot education - you can get quite a speed up on these underslung jobs and I think the JetRanger operation in the video below is just asking for trouble........



At least in the video below of a MD-600N the pilot doesn't have to worry about a tail rotor.....

[FD2]

We flew together in KLM Helicopters at Norwich - Pete was good company and a lively character. Sitting on the Sean Romeo platform, sleet showers and pitch dark mid winter night, we looked at each other and said ‘what are we doing here?! There must be easier ways of making a living!’ That was fine when we were back at Norwich of course.

He made a great mushroom risotto for us at his house in Cromarty and was a great host. Anyone who can swim in the Cromarty Firth mid-winter in a mankini for charity deserves respect!

RIP Pete.

[FD2]

C16:
Agree about the Jetranger - just a bit over-familiar with the routine. Years ago PLM or PDG lost a 350 (I think) when the pilot flew too low over a hill with a strop under the aircraft. It bounced off the hill top and flew into his tail rotor.

[CharlieOneSix]

From the local Press & Journal this morning:

A spokeswoman for his employer said that Mr Clunas, from Newburgh near Ellon, was involved in a “load lifting” exercise in relation to work at a fish farm at the time of Wednesday’s tragedy.

It is understood he was transporting a boat.

[FD2]

It will be interesting to read the AAIB report. I enjoyed flying single pilot in Sqirrels and the S76 but it was always just from A to B and didn’t involve tasks like load lifting. That struck me as being like a one-armed paper hanger in a storm, but it’s just another skill to be mastered. So much goes on all the time and though not intrinsically unsafe it seems to be unforgiving when things go wrong at very low level.

His age was given as either 58 or 59 - can you recall the maximum age for single pilot ops, C16 - no doubt its changed since my time!

[CharlieOneSix]

Wasn't it 60 for single pilot commercial ops? I'm out of touch with legislation as it's 19 years since I retired. This would have been classed as aerial work so I don't know if that's different.

I would think the semi aerodynamic shape of a boat hull could cause load stability problems under certain circumstances.

[Cacophonix]

Watching that Oregon Christmas tree video one has to marvel at the skill of the pilot but the overall frenetic tempo is reminiscent of some crop sprayers I have seen in South Africa and the accident rate there and elsewhere is problematic to my mind anyway!

http://helihub.com/tag/Accidents+agricultural/

Caco

[fin]

While I also admire the skills of the pilots shown harvesting trees, it's hard to wrap my mind around the notion that there is not a much less expensive way to do the job.