Bizarre helicopter crash caught on camera

jogiba · 11-23-2011, 12:41 PM

Quote:

A helicopter pilot is back at home and remarkably unhurt after a terrifying crash on Auckland's waterfront.

Greg Gribble was using the B2 Squirrel helicopter to set up the Telecom Christmas Tree this morning.

The chopper had lifted a pylon into the air and was slowly descending when the crash, shown live on a stream on tvnz.co.nz, happened.

Helicopter pilot back home after amazing escape | NATIONAL News

You Tube

eddie1960 · 11-23-2011, 12:59 PM

Wow, the people on the ground are damn lucky a rotor didn't take one of them out. you could see it coming, damn tight spot to work a helicopter in

Arpe · 11-23-2011, 01:52 PM

More here:
VIDEO: Auckland chopper crash - full video - National - Video - 3 News

If you go in about 3 min there's another viewpoint too, check the guy standing under the chopper, after the crash he gets up!

tuco · 11-23-2011, 03:20 PM

Yikes. The first video I thought it had hit the vertical structure. But Arpe's post shows it looks like the rotors caught the line it was towing. Interesting the jolt going through the airframe broke the rear section so fast.

Last edited by tuco; 11-23-2011 at 05:10 PM.

jogiba · 11-24-2011, 07:32 AM

Originally posted by Arpe

More here:
VIDEO: Auckland chopper crash - full video - National - Video - 3 News

If you go in about 3 min there's another viewpoint too, check the guy standing under the chopper, after the crash he gets up!

This looks like the same video on youtube:

You Tube

séamuis · 11-24-2011, 08:40 AM

Originally posted by tuco

Yikes. The first video I thought it had hit the vertical structure. But Arpe's post shows it looks like the rotors caught the line it was towing. Interesting the jolt going through the airframe broke the rear section so fast.

its hollow, and the tail is usually the first to go in a situation like that. the counter forces of the main and tail (anti-tourque) rotor need to be precisely balanced. with that kind of jolt, its really not surprising that the tail rotor broke that quickly. the tail rotor is connected to the main through a drive shaft and gearbox system. so if the main rotor catches something like that, the tail way out on the end of the tail boom is going to have the jolt quickly transferred to it. if you've ever been around helicopters much, you'd probably wonder how the things even stay together in the air.

I'm not a pilot, but my father built and worked on them for more years than I've been alive. I've seen a few go down, close up.

**Douglas_of_Sweden** · 12-08-2011, 02:59 PM

In some sense, all helicopter crashes are bizarre. I've also seen a crash in real life. The helicopter went crazy, started to turn faster and faster around its own axis, lost height and crashed on the ice. Half an hour later it sank into the Arctic Ocean. All survived and got out of it before it sank.

11-24-2011, 08:40 AM	#6
séamuis Banned Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Savannah, U.S./Baguio City, P.H. Posts: 5,979	Originally posted by tuco Yikes. The first video I thought it had hit the vertical structure. But Arpe's post shows it looks like the rotors caught the line it was towing. Interesting the jolt going through the airframe broke the rear section so fast. its hollow, and the tail is usually the first to go in a situation like that. the counter forces of the main and tail (anti-tourque) rotor need to be precisely balanced. with that kind of jolt, its really not surprising that the tail rotor broke that quickly. the tail rotor is connected to the main through a drive shaft and gearbox system. so if the main rotor catches something like that, the tail way out on the end of the tail boom is going to have the jolt quickly transferred to it. if you've ever been around helicopters much, you'd probably wonder how the things even stay together in the air. I'm not a pilot, but my father built and worked on them for more years than I've been alive. I've seen a few go down, close up. Last edited by séamuis; 11-24-2011 at 08:50 AM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Crash Caught on Police Cruiser Camera !	jogiba	General Talk	6	08-25-2010 10:18 PM
Bizarre AF Lens?	Swift1	Pentax SLR Lens Discussion	7	08-18-2010 07:22 AM
Digital Camera Utility 4 - Crash	Furball	Digital Processing, Software, and Printing	11	07-31-2010 03:02 PM
People Rare photos-ancient stalkers caught on camera	charliezap	Post Your Photos!	7	04-14-2010 06:49 PM
Caught on camera: Hippos turn on crocodile	CWyatt	General Talk	4	11-17-2009 10:45 AM

11-23-2011, 12:59 PM	#2
eddie1960 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,666	Wow, the people on the ground are damn lucky a rotor didn't take one of them out. you could see it coming, damn tight spot to work a helicopter in

11-23-2011, 01:52 PM	#3
Arpe Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: New Zealand Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,452	More here: VIDEO: Auckland chopper crash - full video - National - Video - 3 News If you go in about 3 min there's another viewpoint too, check the guy standing under the chopper, after the crash he gets up!

11-23-2011, 03:20 PM	#4
tuco Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Pugetopolis Posts: 11,019	Yikes. The first video I thought it had hit the vertical structure. But Arpe's post shows it looks like the rotors caught the line it was towing. Interesting the jolt going through the airframe broke the rear section so fast. Last edited by tuco; 11-23-2011 at 05:10 PM.

12-08-2011, 02:59 PM	#7
Douglas_of_Sweden Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Stockholm Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,374	In some sense, all helicopter crashes are bizarre. I've also seen a crash in real life. The helicopter went crazy, started to turn faster and faster around its own axis, lost height and crashed on the ice. Half an hour later it sank into the Arctic Ocean. All survived and got out of it before it sank.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
	Search this Thread: Advanced Search