Video of a fire fighting Z8A helicopter crashing in Yunnan Province, China, 10th May
Seems like two dead an two missing
Very puzzling response to that situation. It looks like they tried to do absolutely nothing to save themselves other than just sit there and arrive at the scene of the accident.
Did wonder if it was LTE rather than a failure per se? Looked like they were turning and coming into the hover, likely heavy aswell, at the same time. No idea what the wind was, but likely a big boot of rudder as they approached the hover and just ran out of TR...
RIP chaps.
RIP chaps.
https://fb.watch/5p2Ok0MTe-/
The elevation of Erhai Lake is 6470 feet and the temperature at the time of the accident (10:20) was around 17C. It will be interesting to review the rest of the equation leading to this accident.
The elevation of Erhai Lake is 6470 feet and the temperature at the time of the accident (10:20) was around 17C. It will be interesting to review the rest of the equation leading to this accident.
Fire starts as the tail boom separates just aft of the main fuselage. The Z-18 design, iirc, has one of the 3 engines an unusually long way aft on the top deck, so probably associated with the engine as that structure breaks up.
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Good god, condolences and best wishes to their colleagues, families and friends.ä
Any News of the other two crew?
ATB
Any News of the other two crew?
ATB
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The way the yaw rate accelerates and keeps on going would seem to rule out anything but a TR drive failure.
Even just lowering the lever would have probably made it more survivable.
Even just lowering the lever would have probably made it more survivable.
Avoid imitations
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It was very unpleasant to watch that.
From the video, (although frame rate interference flicker often masks such things) it might have been a tail rotor drive failure. The reason I say that is that the tail rotor appears to briefly slow down and stop then restart. Due to the high yaw rate, it may then have actually begun to rotate opposite to its normal direction.
It does appear that the crew didn't react to loss of tail rotor authority (for whatever reason that occurred). First thing I'd have done was jettison the bucket then dump the collective lever. Most experienced, adequately trained pilots would have done those things.
What a shame.
From the video, (although frame rate interference flicker often masks such things) it might have been a tail rotor drive failure. The reason I say that is that the tail rotor appears to briefly slow down and stop then restart. Due to the high yaw rate, it may then have actually begun to rotate opposite to its normal direction.
It does appear that the crew didn't react to loss of tail rotor authority (for whatever reason that occurred). First thing I'd have done was jettison the bucket then dump the collective lever. Most experienced, adequately trained pilots would have done those things.
What a shame.
Or not. When the high sink rate developed the tail rotor escaped the recirculating airflow and directional control was almost regained. Except at that point the main rotor chopped off the tail boom and it was well and truly all over red rover then.