Five dead after helicopter crash in New York City (East River)

NBC ^ | March 12, 2018

[T-Bone Texan]

Don’t trainees actually die in those?

I remember the panic of the guy in that movie. It stayed with me.

[going hot]

Looked likely the engine quit, and he autorotated and flared perfectly, but on water. Must have been low leveling prior, not enough time to pick and choose the spot to land.

Pilot probably had his hands on the release lever of the harness as he hit the water and let go the cyclic.

The passengers, probably not, and the cold water and panic no doubt prevented smooth action in the few seconds they had before rollover and dive.

If not prepared and trained, not much chance to get out in time.

[dp0622]

Good Lord. That sounds a lot like a lot though I have no statistics to compare it against.

[unread]

"Which one had dirt on Hillary?"

:) Yeah... That's the first thing that came to my mind as well... If your a fiend of the Clinton's you better keep feet on the ground and your back to the wall.....

[NRx]

I hope the company has a heavy duty insurance policy.

[Ozark Tom]

Cabin doors were open and the camera/video crew were wearing custom harness restraints, which allowed leaning out of the cabin for unobstructed shots.

Reportedly some of the passenger’s equipment got loose in the cabin; and, is implicated in an emergency shutdown of fuel to the engine.

[pierrem15]

Oil platform workers need special training to get out of a helicopter in a water landing.

They usually flip upside down, fill with water quickly and are very tightly packed.

You have only a few seconds before it starts to sink.

This probably explains why only the pilot survived. And no, he would not have been able to help others before becoming trapped and drowning himself, especially given the water temperature.

[Albion Wilde]

Which one had dirt on Hillary?

My first thought, as well.

[nuconvert]

They knew they were going down, so the pilot should have announced to the passengers to have their hands on their own release levers so they had a chance to get out. They were all still belted in when the rescue workers arrived.

[nuconvert]

The midair collision with the small plane, I believe, was the plane pilot’s fault.

[1Old Pro]

They knew they were going down, so the pilot should have announced to the passengers to have their hands on their own release levers so they had a chance to get out. They were all still belted in when the rescue workers arrived.

Yes, they needed to prepare to release their belts as the many point harness is different than your typical seat belt.

[1Old Pro]

“These harnesses had to be cut and removed in order to get them off this helicopter, which was upside down at the time and completely submerged.”

Not sure why they had to be cut, they aren't that difficult to uncouple.

[1Old Pro]

If it was blocked then exit via a crew exit, this was a larger aircraft.

I heard the doors were all open for the photo shoot.

[phormer phrog phlyer]

If that is true, then it would seem that they should be able to egress, as long as there were no other significant contributing factors.

[ETL]

The normal passenger belts in AS350s are like airliner belts with a single additional shoulder strap. Even if they had been replaced with center buckle four way restraints, those aren’t hard to get out of.

I believe that was how Otis "Sitting on the Dock of the Bay" Redding died. He had apparently survived the plane crash, but drowned when he couldn't get out of his seat belt.

[1Old Pro]

they should be able to egress, as long as there were no other significant contributing factors.

Panic is my guess, I'm sure it was quite scary.

[USNBandit]

I am reading now that this was some kind of doors open photo trip where the passengers were all wearing some kind of weird harness. All connections in the back. Not sure how you would do that with 5 pax.