Mags or No Mags?

OkieAviator

Pattern Altitude
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OkieAviator

Everyone made it out of this unscathed so that's a plus. However I started looking at the comments and there was this back and forth about the ignition being in the off position. I guess the thought is that the Plead was most likely ungrounded, therefore not grounding the mag, hence leaving a mag (or both mags) hot. Looking at a Raven II cockpit, seems like it is in the off position. So is this just pilot incompetency with startup / before take off procedures?

Here's the actual cockpit;

https://www.helistore.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/img_1188.jpg
 
The pilot would have shut the mags off after landing while the camera was pointing elsewhere. The engine wouldn't have been running at all for takeoff if the mags were off. I can't see the mags being shut off in flight.
 
The pilot would have shut the mags off after landing while the camera was pointing elsewhere.

Yah, butt.. for the first 30 seconds the switch is viewable and appears to be in the off position, the blades are turning, and they lift off.
 
The engine is primed by the start/mag switch. The primer setting is all the way to the right, and when released goes to both.

Mag check is standard. So after a normal start I can’t see how or why someone would select off.
 
The engine wouldn't have been running at all for takeoff if the mags were off.
FYI: The rumor floating around is that the key's position was in the R or OFF position on take-off and there was an issue with the ground wire at the switch, i.e., the mag(s) were hot in the OFF/R position. Then in flight a ground was made with the switch in that position instead of in the BOTH position leading to the loss of power. The prelim report is already out so they should be posting the facts sooner than later.
 
Based on the vid, it appears the key is pointed to the 1-2 o’clock position. Looking at panel pics online, that position in the R44 is OFF. It goes from (clockwise) OFF to R to L to BOTH. BOTH is a lower right or 4-5 o’clock position.
 
He flicks the key chain up, goes through some switches/knobs, then touches the key and feigns the action of moving it to OFF (you can almost hear his brain go #oof when he touches the key) then moves on to the other guarded switch. (1:56 through 2:00)

Hogs 1 tExAnS 0.
 
Based on the vid, it appears the key is pointed to the 1-2 o’clock position. Looking at panel pics online, that position in the R44 is OFF. It goes from (clockwise) OFF to R to L to BOTH. BOTH is a lower right or 4-5 o’clock position.

I see hindsight2020 seen what I seen ...
 
It's a puzzle for sure.
 
The pilot would have shut the mags off after landing while the camera was pointing elsewhere. The engine wouldn't have been running at all for takeoff if the mags were off. I can't see the mags being shut off in flight.

Did you watch the video in the first post? The key was in the same position the entire time, from liftoff to landing.


Looking at photos from the sale listing and watching the video, that switch was certainly in the OFF position.
 
Gonna need a roll of blade tape and a crapload of JB Weld for that tail boom.
 
Gonna need a roll of blade tape and a crapload of JB Weld for that tail boom.

Do it the professional way............

iu
 
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