Bell 206 Goes Down

[Retired W4]

I believe it was a 206 Long Ranger by the number of ***** (Souls on Board). Having logged many hours in the military version, the OH-58, and I can attest that it is a good machine, but as with any helicopter the pilot must be attuned to every little thing the machine is telling you. I will not speculate, but the tail boom departed the aircraft, the main rotor turned into a large frisbee and the fuselage took on the aerodynamic characteristics of a brick. I've lost several friends who cashed in their chips while piloting an OH-58. I've come close a few times. The 58 is a little quirky and you must know the envelope and not get outside it. God rest the souls of the passengers and the pilot.

 

[SMSgt]

Flew once in a Huey. That itch was forever scratched.

 

[dben002]

Mercy on their souls...but helicopter's have always been an un-natural flying machine requiring great skill and concentration to control...but when parts depart the aircraft at altitude on a helicopter there is not any room for saving grace.

 

[DWalt]

As a veteran survivor of many helicopter flights to offshore drilling rigs, I am happy I no longer have to do that. Never had any life threatening incidents, but I always had a lot of apprehension.

 

[llowry61]

A terrible situation regardless of the cause. May their souls rest in piece.

I saw the video and wasn't sure what to think either. As stated, it was like the aircraft started breaking up.

 

[LVSteve]

I wouldn't want to be a mechanic with his name on a recent worksheet for that chopper.

 

[quikdraw67]

My condolences to the victims' families. The passengers were a family of 5, and the pilot.

I hope that a cause is found.

 

[CH4]

Looks like a catastrophic failure, with the main rotor and gear box separating, taking off the tail boom. Here’s Juan Brown’s initial assessment.

https://m.youtube.com/results?sp=mAEA&search_query=blancolirio

 

[woodsltc]

So sad for that family.....may they Rest-In-Peace.

Don

 

[Rudi]

I've only flown 3 times in a Hughes 500. Wouldn't want to do it every day. So sad, the flight was a birthday gift to one of the kids. "A major malfunction." RIP.

 

[biku324]

OH-58s were the standard FLIR platform when we did drug interdiction flights on the NM/RoM border in the 90s. We had Guard pilots from Charlie Company, 3-140th Aviation who were really pleased to have a real-time mission set. Those birds were not fast, but were stable, really useful machines. Smooth, smooth, smooth over the desert!

A JetRanger (Bell 206A) would have some years and hours on it.

 

[Alk8944]

The best description of a helicopter I have ever heard is "Ten thousand pieces all trying desperately to get away from each other". No humor intended at all! Apparently this aircraft had sufficient flight cycles for this to come true, unfortunately.

 

[S-W4EVER]

I was assigned to be an observer in a Huey (16th MP Gp) when I was at Bragg in ‘75 and I traded that assignment to another MP. I had seen too many helicopter crews show up on foot at the gate (ADA Battery in ROK) after making an emergency landing near some rice paddy to want to ride in one if I had a choice. It wasn’t the aviators I didn’t trust, the Army just seemed to skimp on maintenance in general.

 

[soFlaNative]

I'm happy for all of you who survived your helo flights 50+ years ago.
I feel for the loss of a young, good looking family who lost their lives on a pleasure trip. I'm sure there will be much hoopla regarding executive and sightseeing use of helicopters upcoming but doubt anything will really change.

 

[Retired W4]

The reports state the 36 year old pilot served in the military. With only 788 hours of flight time I doubt he was a military pilot. Military pilots receive ~205 hrs. just in flight school. As mentioned by LVSteve, the mechanic and TI (technical inspector) who signed of on that ship will be under scrutiny as will the company's SOP. Just because a helicopter is 21 years old it's not necessarily unsafe. Just look at Marine One that the president rides in. Now those (they have more than one) are OLD.

 

[ladder13]

One word, HEARTBREAKING.


Investigators now looking at possible bird strike?

 

[Retired W4]

One word, HEARTBREAKING.


Investigators now looking at possible bird strike?

That would have to be one BIG bird. BTW, the transmission was still attached to the rotor system.

 

[old bear]

May all the deceased rest in peace..

 

[biku324]

I was assigned to be an observer in a Huey (16th MP Gp) when I was at Bragg in ‘75 and I traded that assignment to another MP. I had seen too many helicopter crews show up on foot at the gate (ADA Battery in ROK) after making an emergency landing near some rice paddy to want to ride in one if I had a choice. It wasn’t the aviators I didn’t trust, the Army just seemed to skimp on maintenance in general.

.Gov business transportation to a number of sites in the Sulu Archipelago, Philippines, was contracted to the 'Evergreen Corporation,' they used Bell 214s, civilian Hueys with comfy seats. They had 4 birds at Zamboanga City; I never saw more than two of the 4 airworthy at the same time. In Baghdad, State used milspec Hueys (with the canvas seats and confidence inspiring seat belt hooks) to do the many daily milk runs from the BDSC (across the Baghdad Intl Airport runways) to the new Embassy. Even in '18/'19 ground transpro was verboten.

 

[ColbyBruce]

Posted incorrectly