R44 incident (video)

[R22 Captain]

[youtube]hS37zRTQ9_k[/youtube]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hS37zRTQ9_k

Youtube clip of an 44 having a few engine troubles somewhere in Oz. Fast forward to about 3:20 for the 'action'. Magneto??

Good job to the pilot for getting it down OK. Although I may have continued into the first clearing instead of struggling over another bunch of trees (I wasn't there so may have been smaller than it looks). At the end of the day everyone walked away.

Any more details on this?

[Footprint Productions]

Geeez,

Is it just me or is he flying completely out of balance for the first few minutes.

Then watch the MAP gauge before the failure (from 3:00), it bouncing between what looks like 20 - 25.

Then the whole way down, with the horn on, the MAP gauge is at 25 and he so out of balance he must be flying sideways. Is he over-pitching it as well?

I can't see the rotor RPM but by the look and sound of the footage the blades were going real slow.

Thoughts?

Matt

[GGheli]

Noticed that to Matt, MAP really up & down, looked like a bit of collective creeping down, maybe a bit of friction would have helped!!!

What was all the static noise coming from, Go pro?

Geoff.

Geeez,

Is it just me or is he flying completely out of balance for the first few minutes.

Then watch the MAP gauge before the failure (from 3:00), it bouncing between what looks like 20 - 25.

Then the whole way down, with the horn on, the MAP gauge is at 25 and he so out of balance he must be flying sideways. Is he over-pitching it as well?

I can't see the rotor RPM but by the look and sound of the footage the blades were going real slow.

Thoughts?

Matt

[Footprint Productions]

Hey Geoff!

How are the new covers going?

GoPro mounts make a rattling sound when you don't use a wedge and there is lots of vibration.

There sure is a lot of vibration going on in the vid!

M

[GGheli]

Howdy Matt,
The light weight cover is great, folds up really small, perfect for under the seat.
Like normal would like to be flying more but work is crazy!!!

I have the Go pro mounted on the centre bar in the 44 but I have never heard those noises, interesting, maybe I am not getting very much vibration through the brackets?

Hope you are doing lots of flying!!
Cheers
Geoff.

Hey Geoff!

How are the new covers going?

GoPro mounts make a rattling sound when you don't use a wedge and there is lots of vibration.

There sure is a lot of vibration going on in the vid!

M

[Robinsondog]

Yes trim string way off early on, small occasional shaking of compass all the way, maybe a little kick there, pulling too much power. He didn't land immediately even though the option was right there many times and that is what the book says. He didn't get out straight away to make sure nothing amiss like fire in engine. He was shaking the cyclic around in normal flight too much.

Shaking is engine prob, either a mag failure leaving the other plugs to break down or grippy valve due to too much power being pulled. Having the vibrations cease after power goes down is a good indicator of that.

All round not much going for that pilot, he is a fool for not canning that video before he allowed it be seen by CASA and all.

[wocawoca]

And only a fool would continue to fly in such circumstances.

[Robinsondog]

And only a fool would continue to fly in such circumstances.

Hard to overstate that, where oh where was his training, or was there none? Very sad.

[choppermech1986]

I reckon it was a very ordinarily executed precautionary landing (it and the preceding flying).

Keep in mind though, many a machine has been wrecked when an immediate landing wasn't absolutely necessary. I don't think we should encourage inexperienced guys to try to wrestle the machine to the ground at the first sign of trouble, eg. door open, new vibration, noise etc. If this guy had of dropped the lever and committed to a landing, he would have closed off many of his options (and judging by the rest of his flying, probably would have botched the landing) and we'd all be on here bashing him for his choice to land when the engine was still producing power (I'd be surprised if the ATSB could determine if a machine had a sticky valve or fouled plug from most of the R44 wrecks I've seen).

As poorly executed and as painful to watch as it was, particularly when he overshot the first approach, at the very least, he kept his speed up, didn't do anything really stupid and a safe outcome resulted.

[Blade Puppeteer]

The first place to put it down isn't always the best place.

Well done to the pilot for choosing somewhere you can easily put up a hammock and break out the esky

[Cleanskin]

He had a problem, he landed, everyone was ok.

It's very easy to criticise from your arm chair.