Helicopter Lands On Highway

[sharkbait]

Once we cleared Sumas back towards Abbotsford the weather was very poor, it was all up to my instructor to make the decision to turn back being in control... Being the STUDENT I told him my opinon regarding the weather and icing prior to getting into a dead end once starting our leg into Abbotsford... We had PLENTY of time to turn around... Im glad we missed the bridge and we both safe... I have a crack in my Thorasic #6 but all is well. By the way this was only my 5th hour up... What to do now!!!

 

As others have already said - I am very glad you are OK!

Now, however, is the time to stop talking on this forum about what happened.

Cheers

Sharkbait

[RONIN]

Once we cleared Sumas back towards Abbotsford the weather was very poor, it was all up to my instructor to make the decision to turn back being in control... Being the STUDENT I told him my opinon regarding the weather and icing prior to getting into a dead end once starting our leg into Abbotsford... We had PLENTY of time to turn around... Im glad we missed the bridge and we both safe... I have a crack in my Thorasic #6 but all is well. By the way this was only my 5th hour up... What to do now!!!

 

Get a good set of work boots and kick your instructor in the "Nads" for nearly killing you at hour 5.... You should have been hanging around the infield with the weather as crappppppy as it was. If nothing else you have learned the lesson about being embarrassed about landing somewhere and having someone come and get you.... or be embarrassed about crashing on the highway and causing nothing but grief for the company that you work for, OH... and maybe killing someone!!

 

Glad everyone made it out and I am sure it was learning experience for all.....

[rotorheadrob]

After reading this I'm glad to see most of the members here aren't pointing fingers, It could happen to any of us tomorrow. I know who was driving and thier rep is great ( its not my place to say who). It also reafirms for me my choice of training machine, the 47 is tough and forgiving. Those two attributes are critical in training. I don't think other trainers would have faired so well, gota love rotor inertia.

 

 

Best wishes to both pilots from Premier Heli Training!!!

[Murdoch]

By the way this was only my 5th hour up... What to do now!!!

 

Learn. Strap into another one. Keep going (so long as your back is OK).

[treetopflyer]

Once we cleared Sumas back towards Abbotsford the weather was very poor, it was all up to my instructor to make the decision to turn back being in control... Being the STUDENT I told him my opinon regarding the weather and icing prior to getting into a dead end once starting our leg into Abbotsford... We had PLENTY of time to turn around... Im glad we missed the bridge and we both safe... I have a crack in my Thorasic #6 but all is well. By the way this was only my 5th hour up... What to do now!!!

 

Hey JDP86,

 

I hope your back heals up fully and doesn't give you any long term problems. Make sure you talk to a lawyer especially if there is any chance of longterm discomfort or disability.

 

Just because of this accident doesn't mean you can't have a long prosperous career. Good luck with your decision.

 

Cheers,

ttf

[Cole]

Glad you're okay. Perhaps talk to a flight doctor about the T6, injuries suck, long term injuries suck worse.

 

Glad to hear you're okay, gotta get back on the horse.

 

Cole

[Helilog56]

Once we cleared Sumas back towards Abbotsford the weather was very poor, it was all up to my instructor to make the decision to turn back being in control... Being the STUDENT I told him my opinon regarding the weather and icing prior to getting into a dead end once starting our leg into Abbotsford... We had PLENTY of time to turn around... Im glad we missed the bridge and we both safe... I have a crack in my Thorasic #6 but all is well. By the way this was only my 5th hour up... What to do now!!!

 

JDP86.....My suggestion to you would be, rather than discuss this incident over a public forum, your points and questions should be done with the CFI (owner) of the school and the instructor that you were flying with. It is in your best interest, to have input from those that are "directly" involved. Do not let this experience dissuade you from your prospective career and future path. Knowing those involved (yourself excluded), they will make every attempt to make your concerns, a priority.

[splitpin]

JDP86.....My suggestion to you would be, rather than discuss this incident over a public forum, your points and questions should be done with the CFI (owner) of the school and the instructor that you were flying with. It is in your best interest, to have input from those that are "directly" involved. Do not let this experience dissuade you from your prospective career and future path. Knowing those involved (yourself excluded), they will make every attempt to make your concerns, a priority.

 

In addition what Helilog56 correctly says, I might caution you to keep a daily/ hourly record of everything that has happened since your incident if you are even remotely anticipating any problems doun the road. And get everything in writing!!

[volition]

Good to hear your ok!! At 5 hours of flight, you were not PIC.

[John Moore]

This incident is a direct result of the cavalier attitude that exists within the culture of helicopter pilots. The thinking goes like this: unless the weather is so horrible that even a takeoff can not be made, most pilots will depart, reasoning that if it becomes unflyable they will either land or turn around. The difficulty is that once airborne, the desire to press on often overwhelms the good sense to stop. This accident is a perfect example of the danger of this kind of thinking.

 

A pilot has the moral obligation and the legal responsibility to familiarize himself with the weather along his entire route. It is folly to second guess professional weather forecasters. They may occasionally be wrong and predict bad weather when it actually is good, but what is wrong with erring on the side of caution? It is better to be on the ground wishing you are flying than to be flying wishing you are on the ground. If the forecast is for good weather that turns out to be bad, then the pilot has at least some justification if he gets caught.

 

Some object to speculation in cases like this, but they should be reminded that hypotheses are legitimate efforts aimed at revealing the truth. Scientists hypothesize with vigour when faced with a problems that need solutions. All hypotheses are valid, and as the facts come to light, those that do not hold up to scrutiny are discarded. To categorize speculation as finger pointing seems to me to be a childish way of browbeating those with whose opinions one disagrees. Credit must be given to the average man’s ability to eventually weed out the truth. In any event, I see no finger pointing here.

 

We also have within this post one eye-witness report that the actual weather was very bad and another that the forecast was for IFR and marginal VFR. We also have the statement of the student that the weather was poor, that he commented about icing an that there was plenty of time to turn around. How much more information is needed to draw a pretty darn good conclusion about what happened?

 

It seems to me that the five hour student has more sense than the instructor.

 

Why should not the student be vocal about this on a public forum? The event probably frightened him terribly and talking about it is cathartic. He is without a doubt telling the truth. The inconsiderate man who suggested the student is hanging himself could not be more wrong. The student needs sympathy not castigation. He has nothing about which to worry.

 

I hope Transport Canada, the Transportation Safety Board and the flying public are all listening. Those who use helicopters in this country are not as safe as they may think.

 

I think the student should seriously reconsider his career path. The life of helicopter pilots can be bad. It is not conducive to a healthy family life. Long periods of time are spent away from home. The pilots are overworked and underpaid. The training costs a whole bunch of money that could be more wisely spent on a useful university education.

 

To those who suggest ‘Gotta get back on the horse.’, I say ‘Why?’. Sometimes remounting gets you killed or at least makes you very miserable.