Guest longtimer Posted July 4, 2014 Share Posted July 4, 2014 Board of Canada QMI AGENCY A helicopter pilot who died in a crash last year in northern Alberta was drunk at the time, the Transportation Safety Board has found. The pilot, whose name was not released, was working for Gemini Helicopters, which was hired by an oil company to monitor well sites southwest of Fox Creek, Alta., the TSB said in its report released Friday. On Jan. 27, 2013, he made a series of flights to well sites, but then made an "unauthorized flight," was staggering and smelling of alcohol when he picked up an "unauthorized passenger" then landed at a remote cabin. He dropped off the passenger and took off, flying "erratically" before crashing in a wooded area moments later, the report said. The TSB found no issues with equipment or with weather conditions but said the pilot caused the main rotor to hit the chopper's cabin while operating the machine with a blood alcohol level of .35 -- more than four times the legal limit for driving. The legal limit for flying is zero. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seeker Posted July 5, 2014 Share Posted July 5, 2014 The TSB found no issues with equipment or with weather conditions but said the pilot caused the main rotor to hit the chopper's cabin....Is this even possible? If it is possible for the rotor to hit the cabin I'm going to have to re-learn what I thought I knew about helicopters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest longtimer Posted July 5, 2014 Share Posted July 5, 2014 Is this even possible? If it is possible for the rotor to hit the cabin I'm going to have to re-learn what I thought I knew about helicopters.http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/helicopter-pilot-was-drunk-before-fatal-alberta-crash-report-1.1899442 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lakelad Posted July 5, 2014 Share Posted July 5, 2014 .Excerpt from TSB Aviation Investigation Report A13W0009:"A main rotor excursion can lead to an in-flight breakup due to blade contact with the fuselage. In addition to catastrophic mast bumping as a cause of in-flight breakup, the pilot can induce main rotor disk excursions in several ways, including through: - high bank angles, - low-g flight conditions, and - rapid cyclic control movement.With high bank angles, the rotor system can be unloaded if positive g is not maintained by the pilot throughout the manoeuvre and recovery. As well, rapid cyclic reversals in roll or pitch can displace the rotor disk plane faster than the fuselage can respond, leading to blade–to–fuselage contact.". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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