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Oops, darn it...

Back to 909: I went the NTSB website and the video of the first day briefing states that 100LL was found "in the right wing" didn't say which tank. Mis fueling is the first thing they check.
 
Back to 909: I went the NTSB website and the video of the first day briefing states that 100LL was found "in the right wing" didn't say which tank. Mis fueling is the first thing they check.
I hope so, that is what they fly on. The engines are limited to 41" MP on 100LL but could pull 54" back in the day on 130 Oct.
On that NTSB speech one uninformed speaker stated the engines were designed for 87 Oct, Not.
 
Watch the video, it clearly shows where the rotor hit the door. Duh. Why you’d leave a hangar door open with a helicopter lifting off even close is beyond me.

MTV
By the same token why would a helicopter pilot knowingly lift off in front of an open hangar? Any helicopter pilot knows that the big fan on top blows a lot of debris everywhere. Airplanes inside the hangar could easily have been damaged. That helicopter should have been moved further away prior to even starting the engine.
 
By the same token why would a helicopter pilot knowingly lift off in front of an open hangar? Any helicopter pilot knows that the big fan on top blows a lot of debris everywhere. Airplanes inside the hangar could easily have been damaged. That helicopter should have been moved further away prior to even starting the engine.

looks like he was out aways when starting, maybe not enough but then moved into it.
 
Yes, and an open bifold door doesn’t like a lot of rotor wash, I’m guessing. Just dumb on several levels...one of which was videoing it. But I’d shut the door AND move the helo farther away.

MTV
 
There's a busy helicopter charter operator up a handful of hangars from me. They fly R-44s. They have two concrete pads in the asphalt ramp in front of their hangar and the proximity to birch trees on the left and a fuel tank on the right, plus the hangar, is surprising. I watch those guys come and go and marvel at how they shoe-horn those copters in, even in bad weather. I recognize the concrete marks a safe zone but it sure is visually intimidating as a spectator, and they come and go with an adjacent copter parked all the time. Very entertaining to watch.
 
Every airport I have been a rotorcraft is to taxi out to the runway for departure and taxi back in from the runway after it's landing. The departure and landing and taxi do not require ground contact. But the rotorcraft is not to climb up from the ramp area as this one did.
 
I fly helos for a living - if it’s clear and won’t cause rotorwash damage to other aircraft we’ll land/depart from the ramp or taxiways almost every time. ATC prefers it since they can sneak us in between already sequenced traffic. We always have to request it though, landing and departing from areas other than the runway is at the pilot’s own risk. Just ask them, they’ll tell you!

This guy should have been way further from that hangar though.
 
Everyone in and outside that helicopter is lucky to be alive. The gear absorbed all the energy, no rollover, no fire, and nobody injured by flying debris.
 
Saw this happen in person. I thought they were going in. Luckily only person hurt was the guy under the limb. R44 landed a few 100 feet away.
 
May somewhat be not a big deal, just talking the engine's crank not the rotor ( probably have to hang it on the wall) as like the Rotax, the reduction system buffers things out. Not like that rotor was bolted on the crank. I can think of a half dozen major prop strikes with the Rotax, (not me) with no engine or even reduction system damage.
 
May somewhat be not a big deal, just talking the engine's crank not the rotor ( probably have to hang it on the wall) as like the Rotax, the reduction system buffers things out. Not like that rotor was bolted on the crank. I can think of a half dozen major prop strikes with the Rotax, (not me) with no engine or even reduction system damage.

I believe the engine on the R-44 is connected to the transmission via drive belts.

MTV
 
...Any helicopter pilot knows that the big fan on top blows a lot of debris everywhere.
I couldn't disagree more with this statement. As a group civilian helicopter pilots have shown me that they are the stupidest pilots of all- as a group they have no idea what the "big fan" on top does. I can't tell you how many times in both the lower 48 and in Alaska I've had helicopters hover over me to set a sling load right behind me. Or land right in front of me at a fuel dock so they could beat their buddy to fuel (I've even heard these dimwits tell their buddy over the radio their going to beat them to the pumps). Or want to take off right next to me while I fueling (and at times I have to forcefully stop them), and I'm not just talking about the R44 clowns, but pilots of Jetrangers (and their newer models) and even bigger helicopters. I won't even fuel at Seward any more because the clowns that fly the helicopter tours are the worse offenders and don't care. My experience is that civilian helicopter pilots, as a group, think they are "special". They are "special" alright. Rant over.
 
My god son flys Hueys spraying orchards here. He has shown me videos of loading on top of the truck with the rotor tips in the leaves of the walnuts.
 
I recently worked the EAA's most recent B-17 tour which was just 16 miles from where 909 crashed. During the multi day ground tour there were many people who were at BDL at the time of the crash as well as a few people who were right at the scene. I am not going to put in writing what I heard and learned but it was truly saddening to hear of what may never get released and probably should not get released to the press or public.
But working the ground tour I also was able to relieve many peoples fears of both the Living History tours, Historic aircraft and flying in general.
This event was very small compared to what my wife and I hosted 3 weeks before primarily due to advertising as well as the aftermath of the crash.
It was a happy/sad experience working this one.
 
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Originally Posted by skywagon8a
...Any helicopter pilot knows that the big fan on top blows a lot of debris everywhere.

This isn't entirely accurate either. I fly around in a lot of smaller helicopters, mostly the R44 Clipper and Raven II, the A-Star's and a few flights in the R66 this summer.

One of the most recent places we've flown from is the gravel strip in Hope.

On lift-off the A-Star has no dust blowing.

Same day, same time, R-44 disappears in dust being kicked up.

Every setup is different and every flight is different.

At the end of the day I always find myself with a big grin though.
 
I couldn't disagree more with this statement. As a group civilian helicopter pilots have shown me that they are the stupidest pilots of all- as a group they have no idea what the "big fan" on top does. I can't tell you how many times in both the lower 48 and in Alaska I've had helicopters hover over me to set a sling load right behind me. Or land right in front of me at a fuel dock so they could beat their buddy to fuel (I've even heard these dimwits tell their buddy over the radio their going to beat them to the pumps). Or want to take off right next to me while I fueling (and at times I have to forcefully stop them), and I'm not just talking about the R44 clowns, but pilots of Jetrangers (and their newer models) and even bigger helicopters. I won't even fuel at Seward any more because the clowns that fly the helicopter tours are the worse offenders and don't care. My experience is that civilian helicopter pilots, as a group, think they are "special". They are "special" alright. Rant over.
Sorry Barnstormer, I left out one word......SHOULD. I agree with you, my observations have been the same.
 
I fly around in a lot of smaller helicopters, mostly the R44 Clipper and Raven II, the A-Star's and a few flights in the R66 this summer.

Yesterday I was walking the dog and a Robinson came in and landed at the neighbor's. I was quite a bit upwind and it occurred to me that I could smell diesel fumes and that helicopter was the only thing running. It wasn't until I walked past it that I saw R-66 Turbine on the side. I had no idea the R-66 existed until I read it here and now it seems the neighbor has one. I'll pay more attention to the dark blue one from now on.
 
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