Scudd-running kills plain and simple!

[r22butters]

Saw this on Reddit. Its hard to watch, but it hit me rather personally, so I feel its important to see!

 

 

http://g1.globo.com/sao-paulo/noticia/camera-registrou-queda-de-helicoptero-que-matou-noiva-e-video-e-usado-em-investigacao-assista.ghtml

[SBuzzkill]

Ugh. I read the article with Google Translate. Instead of trying to reverse course and get away from those conditions the pilot continued to try and find the destination.

[Wally]

The hardest thing you will ever do is crash a flyable helicopter in order to survive.

The next hardest will be to decide that you should not continue a flight that you really, really want to complete for many reasons, and that you think you MIGHT be able to fly.

You should be taking the last decision relatively often, but you will probably only get one chance to do the first.

 

This is how I approach critical decisions, human beings have a hard time believing in their personal extinction, and it therefore becomes a rather obscure theoretical concept. Pilots usually have a second problem in that we're "up for the challenge", it's a defeat to decline. On the other hand, we accept the possibility of damaging or aircraft very seriously and are generally very, very successful at avoiding that.

 

I don't know why this pilot didn't climb, confess, comply... His instrument skills did not seem up to the task, but he was not really 'on the gauges' so it's not possible to say for sure. I have been places that safe IFR was not possible for various reasons (mostly a long time ago and very far away). Why one would voluntarily continue into that position is always a puzzler.

 

You avoid the first decision many ways, being wong on the ground is the best but least rewarding... except you enhance your chances of living to be a dirty old man (or woman, I guess, I'm not there) if your DNA lines up. The next way is knowing what's going on in all possible ways- the weather is first but YOU, your aircraft, en route assets, the route and timing will be 'slotted' into the weather if you decide to go. Are YOU IFR capable and proficient? Is the aircraft? Can you plan a route that assures options so that you won't be forced into a pop-up or emergency IFR situation?

That route will require absolutely minimal time over inhospitable terrain and should provide convenient, comfortable places to land for whatever reasons. Direct is never the best route, period. I teach/taught off-route navigation' and believe in it absolutely. You WILL not be cruising direct in that junk anyhow, you'll be zigging and zagging, climbing and descending, fast and slow anyhow, going around will probably faster and definitely easier (safer).

Consider a 100 nm direct in something that cruises at a 107 knots- 0:56. Do a 50 nm diversion from the start and direct from there, it's 1:19 of easy cruising. Sounds like a lot, except you won't be at cruise speed and altitude, direct, you'll be hunting and seeking at greater risk. There's compromise possible with that theory- lay your diversion point on the edge of the unacceptable and then adapt. Always keep the 'good' in sight and in range...

[r22butters]

The desire to complete the flight as planned can throw all logic, good judgement, training, recurrent training, right out the window!

 

It is a POWERFUL eneny, and I actually fear it more than wires!

Edited July 6, 2017 by r22butters

[helonorth]

human beings have a hard time believing in their personal extinction, and it therefore becomes a rather obscure theoretical concept.

 

 

I have been in a couple situations where my continuation of existence was far from a "obscure theoretical concept." I was freakin' scared!

[Wally]

I have been in a couple situations where my continuation of existence was far from a "obscure theoretical concept." I was freakin' scared!

Never lose the awareness of your possible sudden end.

 

“You've never lived until you've almost died. For those who have fought for it, life has a flavor the protected shall never know.”

― Guy de Maupassant

 

I always felt like I cheated somehow. Then I heard some talking heads discussing the difference between PTSD and PTSG, "post traumatic stress GAIN, amongst which is the very real appreciation of the gift and beauty of life.

 

 

To the point of r22butters post, with the benefit of hindsight and knowing that the worst possible outcome resulted from not resonding: wouldn't it have been better to find a survivable place to land even if it broke the aircraft?

I had a talk with a guy who operated in the remote Papua-New Zealand area, he maintained that some pilots there believed it better to put the helo in the top of big tree than to crash down through a standing forest. I don't buy it but i've never seen the woods and mountains in the "P-N-G". The chances are better of surviving a well executed emergency landing in the best trees wouldn't have killed everybody.

Me, I don't ever want to make that decision, I avoid it. I have great respect for those who didn't try to extend the glide to a perfect landing.

[helonorth]

He didn't have to make a forced landing into the trees. At least not until he ran out of gas. I knew a pilot that had a story of hovering over water next to shore, waiting for fog to clear with no place to go. He sat and watched his fuel burn away and eventually got lucky when it cleared. The same guy had to hover backwards down a mountain in fog. Not surprisingly, he had at least two accidents to his credit. He is alive, though. The accident pilot in the video could have hovered around and maybe could have gotten lucky and found a clearing. Instead he pressed on, IMC and then tragedy. It's helicopter, not an airplane! He had options but zero judgement.

 

I watched the video before I knew what happened. I wish I hadn't and will never watch it again.

[SBuzzkill]

The worst part of that video is seeing the trust on the faces of those on board. They had faith he would keep them safe and he failed them. I remind myself of that every time I have someone else on board.

[ARM_Coder]

That ill-fated trip was wrong from start, as the helicopter was licensed for private use, not charter.

 

Poor planning, a pilot pressed to complete the mission at ALL costs, his job under risk if he aborted the flight. No wonder current accident prevention and investigation efforts put a high value on organizational factors.

 

He had lots of chances to chicken out and save all pob, even after the IIMC entry. He could have landed roadside. He could have used the gyro to level ship, climb and call mayday.

 

NOW we have a video that will surely become mandatory in flight schools. At a such terrible cost.