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Random Griz Aviation Musings

ChuckMK23

ChuckMK23

FERS and TSP contributor!
pilot
wink said:
Week or so ago a UH-1H appears to have lost a tail rotor over a Phoenix suburb. On a cross country from Blythe, I think. Two on board. One lived. Sad. No other info known to me.
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So sorry to hear this - tragic.

Looks like local news covered the incident and some video was captured by a bystander
www.fox10phoenix.com

Police: 1 dead following helicopter crash in Mesa

An investigation is underway following a deadly helicopter crash in Mesa Friday afternoon.
www.fox10phoenix.com www.fox10phoenix.com
 
ChuckMK23

ChuckMK23

FERS and TSP contributor!
pilot
Griz882 said:
That is something tragic to watch. Sad news.
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It's heartbreaking. You know I at least forget that in addition to the craziness thats going on, good old fashioned accidents and tragedies unrelated to current events still occur - aircraft mishaps, auto crashes, people getting cancer, etc. It's humbling.
 
Griz882

Griz882

Frightening children with the Griz-O-Copter!
pilot
Contributor
Nice day for a Mother’s Day flight. Out of VKX, turn East, and head for the water. I crossed the Bay at Chesapeake Beach just above the Naval Research Center there. The winds were high but steady so a lot a sailboats were in the bay and looked pretty. I headed to KGED (Delaware Coastal) it used to be an Air Force test center and has lots of runway that I never use.

Confession time...I was coming in for a landing on 22. The winds were 240 at 18 knots and my LSA is convinced it is a glider so I practically shut the engine off to lose the necessary altitude. The lineup was looking good but just before the numbers the wind just stopped so I had a nice, hard landing. I kept it on the ground, thought for sure I would bounce, but the aircraft while small is very well built. Lesson learned....if they give you the runway...feel free to use it!

Flight back was fun. As I was leaving a B-25 that lives there came in. I was able to fly low over the bay, a bit of turbulence, but a nice way to burn up a morning! All of this reminds me, I need to get a Go-Pro for some of my flights...just not all my landings.
 
ChuckMK23

ChuckMK23

FERS and TSP contributor!
pilot
Pretty sure this will buff out? One of my owners just flew through a stand of trees after getting too low on approach during a night recovery - dark night, the pilot lost SA, and did not realize he was low on short final. Cessna vs trees. Thankfully no one died. $100K of damage to an otherwise pristine C182 Skylane. FAA ruled as an "incident" and not an accident. No punitive action against the solo pilot. PIC initially reported to me as a "birdstrike"257092570925709257102571125712
 
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HAL Pilot

HAL Pilot

Well-Known Member
None
Contributor
ChuckMK23 said:
No punitive action against the solo pilot.
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There should have been. That's not only a loss of SA, that's incompetence.

At a minimum, he should have been given a license evaluation flight with an FAA inspector. (I forget the exact terminology but it's basically a demonstrate the competency and knowledge to keep your license evaluation.)
 
ChuckMK23

ChuckMK23

FERS and TSP contributor!
pilot
HAL Pilot said:
There should have been. That's not only a loss of SA, that's incompetence.

At a minimum, he should have been given a license evaluation flight with an FAA inspector. (I forget the exact terminology but it's basically a demonstrate the competency and knowledge to keep your license evaluation.)
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70-year-old retired lawyer with 500 hours TT. FAA ASI came out as did NTSB - since the actual wing spar was not damaged, was ruled an "incident". The PIC in question has not flown since btw. The FAA sent a letter ruling against enforcement action. The PIC genuinely thought he hit birds and was surprised when it was pointed out there were no bird guts or feathers to be found. It was amazing that he landed successfully.

My insurance guy covered it and after new wing skins and engine/prop overhaul I should have this airframe back online in a few more weeks. It had to be trucked to repair facility on a flatbed.
 
HAL Pilot

HAL Pilot

Well-Known Member
None
Contributor
Doesn't change things. Too low and hit trees on landing while thinking it was birds makes it even worse. That's a danger to anyone else in the airl with him or on the ground under his flight path. To say nothing of the danger to himself.

Incompetence. Whether from lack of knowledge, ability or degradation of skill form age, it's still incompetence. At the minimum, the FAA should be giving him a 709 ride. (Thanks @Jim123 - I couldn't remember what it was called.)

The only reason it was an incident instead of an accident was because of the cost.
 
IKE

IKE

Nerd Whirler
pilot
Griz882 said:
Very nice! That is one large window bubble in the cockpit.
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For long line work? Or something else?

Edit: I should read this thread more often. Answered by Chuck above (in the affirmative).
To maybe actually add to the thread: I did 20 minutes of long line work at the end of TPS in an S-55 (H-34). Most humbling experience of the entire 48-week syllabus.
 
Griz882

Griz882

Frightening children with the Griz-O-Copter!
pilot
Contributor
ChuckMK23 said:
Pretty sure this will buff out? One of my owners just flew through a stand of trees after getting too low on approach during a night recovery - dark night, the pilot lost SA, and did not realize he was low on short final. Cessna vs trees. Thankfully no one died. $100K of damage to an otherwise pristine C182 Skylane. FAA ruled as an "incident" and not an accident. No punitive action against the solo pilot. PIC initially reported to me as a "birdstrike"View attachment 25709View attachment 25709View attachment 25709View attachment 25710View attachment 25711View attachment 25712
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Ask his wife what his underwear looked liked! He is one lucky dude.

I can see how this could happen. My airfield is in a small valley surrounded by trees. One small error and it could get u comfortable fast. Glad he got out safe.
 
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