Water bombing helicopter crash Bega Valley

[Twistgrip]

News reports of a machine down. Sounds like the pilot escaped serious injury.
https://www.google.com.au/amp/s/amp.smh.com.au/national/nsw/pilot-swims-to-shore-after-water-bombing-helicopter-crashes-into-dam-while-refilling-20200109-p53q7i.html

[godfather007]

Great outcome!

[havick]

There’s a few pics floating around showing it as Fleet’s 205.

[SpinnyThing]

It was Lucy and pilot was Lachie. As far as I know he’s fine and swam to the bank as soon as it hit the water. Lucky man!

[choppermech1986]

There’s a few pics floating around showing it as Fleet’s 205.

"Floating"

[ScottyMc]

https://www.armidaleexpress.com.au/stor ... 5RRZqa8qhI

[Helical]

Army and Navy recovery 12/01/2020

https://www.contactairlandandsea.com/20 ... TqOdbWaAAY

[Rotorpilot]

Glad Lachie is ok.

Hopefully Lucy can get back flying again!

[Twistgrip]

Nice one Lachie. Hope your on the mend mate and get back in the saddle soon. What a great interview by CH9 well done and stay safe to all those on the fire line.

Cheers
Steve

https://9now.nine.com.au/today/australia-bushfires-how-waterbombing-pilot-escaped-after-helicopter-crash/2f6982c5-96e3-4746-b567-2115ec8aca68

[godfather007]

I second that Twisty.
Well done LO!! Champion!
Great to hear the actual details of a marvellous out come from the source.
And also nice to see the media GRAB a good story for a change...

[Revhead]

What a legend !!
Great outcome and a surprisingly normal bit of media.
Jeez I felt uneasy when Lachie described the attempted exits from the 2 front doors then the rear slider with no success then and luckily finding a pocket of air. That’s a certifiable nightmare right there. Clear evidence of the importance of the HUET training though.
Best wishes to Lachie

Rev

[jimiemick]

That interview was great!!

Hopefully your shoulder heals up and you can get back to it soon!

And will be interested to see what the insurance company decides with Lucy!

[Eric Hunt]

Hueys have handles on the front doors that pull the hinge pins out so the door either falls off or can be pushed out. He probably didn't have time to try that on the copilot door.

The sliding doors have handles which retract tabs on the perspex so again the window falls in, no need for bleeding knuckles.

But in the heat (or wet!) of the moment, nothing beats prior HUET training.

[SuperF]

Only some of the hueys have the pop out rear windows, generally ex navy or marine ones. Most of the airforce and army machines have bolted in windows in rear doors.

Sounds like the front doors were jammed in the mud, or just stuck from a bent cabin, and he probably didn’t want to stick around to try.

I have always questioned the need for huet on Fire ops, might have to rethink my ideas now...

[Eric Hunt]

Every RAAF Huey had handles on the windows, from memory.

And pulling the T-handle to remove the hinge pins will take the door off, bent or not.

HUET is essential, first did mine in 1987 at NSCA in West Sale.

[NZHelo]

Every RAAF Huey had handles on the windows, from memory.

[highlight=]And pulling the T-handle to remove the hinge pins will take the door off, bent or not.[/highlight]

HUET is essential, first did mine in 1987 at NSCA in West Sale.

Are you saying that the emergency exits were not in fact tried?

[airsails]

The old push out frames on the sliding doors of the UH1’s can be difficult to remove in the hangar, let alone in an emergency. The latching mechanisms and seals tend to get stuck. Hence later models moving to push out windows.