Tour Helicopter Down, Big Island, 6/9, All Survive

I knew a pilot who rode a A4 into the water after a bridal disengagement on the cat shot. The carrier ran him over and disoriented him. He managed to break the surface after almost two minutes underwater. Within 30 seconds of the helo pulling him aboard there was a loud bang and the AC yelled hang on we’re going in! The helo hit and rolled upside down. He got out but when they pulled him into the helo they punctured his life vest to help get him in. He could not stay afloat and was going under when one of the helo crew members was able to grab him and keep his head above water! Rescued at that point by a whaleboat.
 
SkyChaser said:
I wonder how hard it was for the pax to get into the rescue helicopter after they'd just survived a helicopter crash...
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In my experience, they usually are more grateful to get out of their current situation and "happily" jump in another helicopter. Now whether they'll get in another after the fact depends on the person. For some people its no big deal such as offshore oil workers who have had the luck of being in more than one helicopter incident.
 
Jeff767 said:
I knew a pilot who rode a A4 into the water after a bridal disengagement on the cat shot. The carrier ran him over and disoriented him. He managed to break the surface after almost two minutes underwater. Within 30 seconds of the helo pulling him aboard there was a loud bang and the AC yelled hang on we’re going in! The helo hit and rolled upside down. He got out but when they pulled him into the helo they punctured his life vest to help get him in. He could not stay afloat and was going under when one of the helo crew members was able to grab him and keep his head above water! Rescued at that point by a whaleboat.
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From Bob Stevens' "There I Was...Flat on my Back":
stevens transfer.jpg
Ron Wanttaja
 
Jeff767 said:
I knew a pilot who rode a A4 into the water after a bridal disengagement on the cat shot. The carrier ran him over and disoriented him. He managed to break the surface after almost two minutes underwater. Within 30 seconds of the helo pulling him aboard there was a loud bang and the AC yelled hang on we’re going in! The helo hit and rolled upside down. He got out but when they pulled him into the helo they punctured his life vest to help get him in. He could not stay afloat and was going under when one of the helo crew members was able to grab him and keep his head above water! Rescued at that point by a whaleboat.
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If you put that in a movie script, everyone would say that could never have actually happened.
 
I think Hawaii is the helicopter crash capitol of the world.
 
Bell206 said:
FYI: not even in the top 10 within the US. California and Texas are the top 2.
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That isn’t surprising given California and Texas are the biggest and second biggest states population wise. Perhaps the OP meant the rate of accidents per operations is higher in Hawaii?
 
DavidWhite said:
rate of accidents per operations is higher in Hawaii?
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Not even that figure is higher. Even with per hours flown tours and EMS are low on the accident list, however, they get all media attention which tends to change the general perception. I don't know the current stats but the Grand Canyon/Vegas tour routes have a higher flight density than Hawaii.

As to where Hawaii sits on the state listing its was 12th on the 2016 listing:
https://ushst.org/Data/Facts State Accidents.pdf
 
Jeff Oslick said:
If you put that in a movie script, everyone would say that could never have actually happened.
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Maybe so, but as a movie, on the plus side, the story does have the advantage of including a romance, or maybe I should say a busted romance, since the main character’s misfortune all begins with a bridal disengagement.
 
Well what’s the chance of the second one crashing
 
Holy crap, 23,000 hrs on a 407. And I complain about 6,000 hrs on ours. :D I know they do a torque check. @Bell206 would know about a fatigue check.
 
Is it normal for a tail boom separation to be survival? Because as a plane old plane pilot, it doesn't sound real survivable.
 
Albany Tom said:
Is it normal for a tail boom separation to be survival? Because as a plane old plane pilot, it doesn't sound real survivable.
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Tail rotor failure quite often has survivors. Obviously tail boom loss is even worse, less drag on spinning hull and possible CG issues.

I think that some helicopter training includes tail rotor failures.

Much more than you ever wanted to know about tail rotor failures. Not a quick read, (I gave it a 2min skim) but looks good stuff for someone with an interest.
https://publicapps.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAPAP2003_01.PDF
 
Albany Tom said:
Is it normal for a tail boom separation to be survival?
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No. But there have been a number. Even partial loss of tailboom or component can end bad. The fact they didnt invert is the key which usually points to the CG being just right. Kudos to the pilot for keeping his wits as the result was all him.
 
Velocity173 said:
https://www.ntsb.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/NR20221202.aspx
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a link in there to a “docket”
https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105233

It includes six documents called “Survival Factors” that are good reading. Interviews with the pilot, and a passenger who helped rescue the pilot from he wreckage, a rescue pilot, photos of the wreck, and so on.

A couple of interesting things: the ELT activated, and passengers called 911 after the crash, so help got there really pretty fast. The pilot was in shock and incapacitated, but two passengers who weren’t badly hurt did tremendous work, helped everyone get out and gave first aid. A seat-belt cutter was a big help, but a skimpy first-aid kit wasn’t enough.
 
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The eye witness accounts from the passengers and pilot is worth a read. As I understand it, the passengers themselves extricated the other passengers and the pilot. Hoping they all end up OK...passenger in front left seat was hurt pretty badly.
 
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