Another One Down: Hughes 500D Down Near Ft. Saskatchewan

[tin lizzie]

:( Not a good year. Sounds like the pilot is ok but the lineman is in serious condition.

 

http://edmonton.ctvnews.ca/investigatio ... -1.1356040

 

Julia Parrish, CTV Edmonton
Published Friday, July 5, 2013 6:43PM MDT
Last Updated Friday, July 5, 2013 6:47PM MDT

Police north of Edmonton were on the scene late Friday afternoon, after a helicopter crashed in a rural area, leaving two suffering from serious injuries.

Fort Saskatchewan RCMP said emergency crews and officers were called to the scene of the crash in the area of Township Road 544, west of Range Road 225 at about 4 p.m.

According to police, a helicopter had been working on installing power lines when it came into contact with a tower – and the pilot lost control of his craft.

The helicopter then crashed into a field.

RCMP said two men were on board at the time, and both were rushed to the University of Alberta Hospital – one was taken by ground ambulance, the other airlifted by STARS – both were in serious condition.

Police have not released the identities of the two men on board, along with the name of the helicopter company.

AltaLink issued a statement, saying the helicopter was working on the Heartland Transmission Line at the time of the crash.

“Our first concern is the health of the worker and the pilot injured in this incident,” Johanne Picard-Thompson, Senior VP of Projects for AltaLink said in a statement. “We will begin an investigation immediately to learn what may have caused the helicopter to fail.”

Transportation Safety investigators were on their way to the scene Friday evening, as were officials from Occupational Health and Safety.

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/Hel ... story.html

 

EDMONTON - Two men working on the Heartland Transmission Project were taken to hospital Friday evening when their helicopter crashed near Fort Saskatchewan.

Both men were conscious, with the pilot taken by ground ambulance and the seriously injured lineman — who fell out of the helicopter from an unknown height — flown by air ambulance to University Hospital, said Tim le Riche, spokesman for the transmission project.

“Obviously, our primary concern right now is the health and well-being of our staff,” le Riche said from the crash site near Township Road 554 and Rural Route 225, approximately six kilometres south of Gibbons.

The crumpled silver helicopter, a Hughes 500, was on its side in a grassy field, its blades broken. Its tail was broken off and about 100 metres from the rest of the helicopter.

The 64-metre high transmission tower was cordoned off with yellow police tape.

The pilot, lineman and one other employee were working on transmission tower for the 500-kilovolt, double-circuit transmission line. STARS responded around 4:30 p.m.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada had two inspectors on scene along with the RCMP.

“Certainly, we’ll be doing a thorough review ourselves,” le Riche said.

The 65-kilometre transmission line is being built with partners Epcor and AltaLink. It connects a substation in south Edmonton to the Heartland region near Fort Saskatchewan.

[flingwinger]

Anyone have any update on this? Was this the bighorn 500 working that line? My finger are crossed for the pilot and linesman...

[lefttoelow]

C-FYAP....... Hope all are well.

[twinstar_ca]

was CW at the helm?? FBVH was who I saw by medicine hat...

[sirlandsalot]

that is terrible, That is tough work that job, High risk and high skill level flying. I enjoyed my time at bighorn and the people I worked with, I wish all involved a speedy recovery and all the best.

[Twin Helix]

was CW at the helm?? FBVH was who I saw by medicine hat...

It wasn't CW flying. PM and I can let you know who...no need publishing names (out of respect) on here.

[rocksteady]

_{Reading the story, don't think it was Bighorn ,,, they have YIP not YAP... But I could be wrong..}

[sirlandsalot]

_{Reading the story, don't think it was Bighorn ,,, they have YIP not YAP... But I could be wrong..}

It was the reg on the second 500 bought I think last year.

YIP and YAP.