Auckland Helicopter Crash

[Jayden Laing]

Just found this on the internet. One very lucky pilot.

A NEW Zealand pilot has escaped serious injury after his helicopter crashed near the Auckland Viaduct while erecting a Christmas tree.
The Fire communications centre confirmed the crash about 10.30am (8.30am AEDT) today.
The incident was seen live on the TVNZ website as it streamed the event.
It occurred near where the Maori Waka had been set up during the Rugby World Cup.
The New Zealand Herald reported the helicopter pilot was seen walking away from the crash with the support of two people also working on the project.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/breaking-news/helicopter-crashes-on-auckland-waterfront/story-e6freuyi-1226203232011

And some video footage of the incident
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPF6eL-wvYg

[Matthew Chisholm]

http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/helicopter-goes-down-in-viaduct-harbour-4560847

[Grahame Hutchison]

That is one lucky pilot, and also the worker on the ground.

[SteveW]

Raw footage here : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJNHj0V9yUY

I'm amazed how the entire fuselage 'shudders' on impact.

[A McLaughlin]

If ever there was a case for a pilot to be wearing a helmet and a harness, that was it. He was really lucky not to have been thrown from the machine and become part of the wreckage!

[Grahame Hutchison]

The whole tail boom breaks right at the rear of the fuselage when the rotor blade its.

[Jakef]

Helicopters seem to tear themselves apart when things like this happen. On another note, this video is proof that seatbelts save lives

[Ray P.]

The whole tail boom breaks right at the rear of the fuselage when the rotor blade its.

I suggest that's caused by the significant and immediate load applied on the tail boom as the counter-torque that is provided by the tail rotor suddenly becomes much greater than the main rotor torque when the main rotor collides with the cables. I note also that the tail shaft fails due to the excessive loads carried through the Main Gear Box.

[Robert S]

The NZ Herald has a story saying "He was flung out the front door of the helicopter before falling back through its side door", but slow motion versions of the footage on YouTube seem to indicate that while the seat was leaning well outside the airframe as it tipped over, he appeared to stay with it as it flipped around.

[Kurt A]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mexRQhNQdcQ

This one shows a different perspective. The guy in dark clothes right underneath the chopper holding a cable is also very lucky to be alive. 3:36. You see him getting up at 3:42.

You also see the pilots left arm/hand motionless after the impact for a few seconds...

Scary!

[Grahame Hutchison]

From this angle it appears that the rotor blade hits the cable running from the top of the tower to underneath the chopper. As the chopper descends the arc of the cable changes, bringing it closer to the rotor blade. One rotor blade is completely missing, very lucky outcome for the ground crew standing nearby.

[Nigel C]

I think Squirrel's are only a 3 bladed chopper

[Grahame Hutchison]

I think you are right Nigel, but at 1.02 min in it sure looks like the blade roots are at 90 degrees with one missing, probably distorted because of the stress after impact.

[steve k]

ZK-HIG, Aerospatiale Ecureul

[A McLaughlin]

From that new angle it's so obvious what was going to happen...I'm amazed someone didn't foresee it!

The Squirrel definitely has three blades, it's just the blade mount has snapped making it look like a fourth is missing.

[Stephen Brown]

I love the turbine screaming on the ground.....

[David Ramsay]

Pilot had a bump on the head and a cut on one finger!

[Ray P.]

I love the turbine screaming on the ground.....

...almost as if the Squirrel is screaming with pain. :( Poor thing.

[Brad M]

hows the cable ?

[Brenden S]

Anyone notice how the engine breaks loose from the engine mount and then it goes pearshaped.