Is this a pilot's error?

[X-filer]

I've recentely read this terrible new:

http://sify.com/news/helicopter-crashes-in-belarus-news-international-kijdubheehc.html

about a helicopter crash in my motherland. This source and all other russian sources say the pilot was attempting landing approach and crashed...I found the exact video of what happend:

Some sources tell, pilot was 74 years old and was one of the best german pilots....Doesn't the altitude seem to be scary low for that loop? What do you think?

P.S. Rest in Peace. Prayers to his family...

[Goldy]

Sure didnt look like an approach to a landing. Looked like an attempted loop, and yes, I think he was too low to the ground to recover. But I dont spend my days looping helicopters.

[RagMan]

Don't know why anyone would want to perform aerobatics that low in a helicopter in the first place. Ran out of luck unfortunately. RIP

[Trans Lift]

Don't think it was a loop either. It looked like he was doing a torque turn but from that angle it kind of looks like a loop.

[X-filer]

Found a video with better quality. It's in the middle of this page:

http://news.tut.by/accidents/193228.html

Looks like he's accomplished a loop,but descending speed was too high...

[Goldy]

Found a video with better quality. It's in the middle of this page:

http://news.tut.by/accidents/193228.html

Looks like he's accomplished a loop,but descending speed was too high...

 

Yes, definitely not a torque turn, it was a full loop. He even levelled the skids but could not arrest the descent. If the ship didnt catch fire, this would have been a survivable incident.

 

Fly safe, Goldy

[Trans Lift]

I couldn't see it properly in the first vid but the second one you can see it looked more like a loop. It is weird watching a video when you know the guy is going to die in the next maneuver. RIP

Edited August 16, 2010 by Trans Lift

[rotorrodent]

Yes, definitely not a torque turn, it was a full loop. He even levelled the skids but could not arrest the descent. If the ship didnt catch fire, this would have been a survivable incident.

 

Fly safe, Goldy

 

Hey Goldy,

 

I don't think that this was survivable...Sorry to be so graphic but if you look at the closeup video, when the firefighter is hosing off the wreckage, below the water stream is the pilot. After, still photos show that the blue tarp is covering the pilot. The pilot did not burn in the wreckage. That had to had been about a 14G impact. Non survivable to me.

 

Cheers

 

Rotorrodent

[Hover225]

How unfortunate that this has happened. I myself, as a low time pilot, am have a hard time understanding why people try maneuvers such as this at such a low altitude. Is it just because they are at an airshow and try to "put on a good show" for the crowd? It really is a shame that this person died trying to bring entertainment to people. Instead of bringing potentially more people involved in heli aviation, this sort of thing has a very detrimental effect.

[crashed_05]

I agree with rotorrodent...way too hard of an impact to be survivable, fire or no fire. Very unfortunate.

[apiaguy]

yes pilot error...

no, not a loop... he maybe approached 120 degrees but then rolled out of it on the way down (kinda like an aggressive turn aka dennis kenyon wingover). He then saw his high vertical component tried to level but was too late... wham... hope this doesn't happen to me someday.