Tasman

[Heli-Gypsy]

Any 212 ski pilot,

As you know Most of these take-offs are from valley bottoms and you know flying a 212 skiing, some times it requires a down wind take off because of down flowing air, You can't climb straight out because the terrain climbs up faster then you can climb,so you do a peddle turn it feels good you start forward and it starts settling enough to get your full attention, I know we all have done it, all it takes is to catch one off guard and not to go through translation fast enough. Yes, the right answer is to split your load if there is any question. So easy for all of us to sit and judge. How many times have we got away with just getting a tight A-hole and a OH S@$^!

Keep your heads up and be safe.

[Squirrel]

Saw the pics of the accident scene - looks like he had almost finished a downslope turn when it contacted the snow (looks like very steep/rocky terrain upslope). Skids hit twice before it turned on its side. Tailbone broken off, possibly from the MR when it first hit and bounced. First contact by skids to where it ended up looks like about 150 feet. Rested on its right side. Looked like a tough spot to get out of. Hats off to those 212 drivers.

 

Yes, glad everyone is OK.

[cap]

With regards Heli-Gypsy's comments, the only difference between the driver in question and me, is that his "number got chosen" and there, but for the grace of God.........

 

May I suggest that pertains also to a whole bunch of us. Could be that that was his first and he'll never bend metal again.....someone else's "number will get chosen" next time.

[407 Driver]

Gypsy nailed it on the head. Any Ski pilot out there has probably seen a similar pickup. No good options, downwind sucks, uphill sucks, weather and wind suck.

I know of a similar pickup here, and it was the most common run we skied in bad weather. I recall a lot of scares in there, glad we don't fly in that ski area any more....my already gray hair may have started falling out after to many scares like that.

 

I heard this pilots name yesterday, and agree with Gypsy and King, a true professional, great person, and a high level of experience. I had heard of him for years and years, and finally had the pleasure of meeting him for the first time at HAI last year.

 

What we can learn for this is......It can happen to anyone. My quick W&B calc above showed that he took every precaution to depart well under legal WAT limits, (probably had almost 1,000 lbs of safely for "mom and the kids" ). Even with his high level of experience, he still got slammed.

[Skidz]

I think I already mentioned this before, but a wise old pilot once told me: "There are two kinds of pilots: Those who've had accidents, and those who will sooner or later".

 

To err is human. Pilots aren't gods, after all (just don't say that in a bar, ok ? )

[Blackmac]

Guys/Gals, read the following carefully and maybe you will understand

 

ac·ci·dent [ áksidənt, áksi dent ] (plural ac·ci·dents)

 

 

noun

 

1. chance: the way things happen without any planning, apparent cause, or deliberate intent

 

2. crash: a collision or similar incident involving a moving vehicle, often resulting in injury or death

 

3. mishap: an unplanned and unfortunate event that results in damage, injury, or upset of some kind

 

Having been in the industry for a few years, I do not know of any pilot that will intentionally put himself in danger.

 

An accident is just that, an accident, whether mechanical or pilot error, it's still an accident.

 

If we only had a perfect world.

 

Cheers, Don

 

4. chance happening: an event that happens completely by chance, with no planning or deliberate intent

[Helilog56]

I think I already mentioned this before, but a wise old pilot once told me: "There are two kinds of pilots: Those who've had accidents, and those who will sooner or later".

 

Skids you better read your post (and everyone else) carefully.....What kind of so called "wise old pilot" ever came up with a moronic, cavalier statment like that? If that is considered "wise".....I would sure hate to think, what would be considered "STUPID"... :down:

[Deep Throat II]

I have to agree Helilog, I personaly hate that useless old tired saying.

DTII

[cap]

Blackmac ............as I remember, chasing the ladies one time used to involve some of #4 and #3. Didn't know that they had put it into some rule book.

 

Skidz -------here's another old saying ......"Sh*t happens"...........but one works like **** to keep that frequency as rare as possible.

[Blackmac]

Cap, you young fart.

 

An accident is an accident is an accident and on and on and on, etc.

 

Everytime there is an accident all the armchair experts come out, including myself on the odd occassion.

 

In actual fact there is no rule book for an accident or how to make one happen.

 

The manual of CDF should be adhered to at all times.

 

So it would be nice if we could all quit trying to second guess an accident and wait till the report comes out, in two or three years.

 

Whether the pilot was new, used or should be put out to pasture has no bearing on the accident, he will still have to live with it.

 

I had a total of three major right offs and am still wondering how come I'm still here. That does not include getting a set of main rotor blades, tail rotor including gear box and drive shaft. The only ones I was responsible for was the last two.

I remeber the ops mgr asking me WHY I hit the M/R blades on a tree branch, wooden blades and split the tip on one.

Of all the assinine questions to ask, I told him I did it on purpose.

 

And on and on.

 

Cheers, Don