Six die in vintage helicopter crash in West Virginia

The Guardian ^ | Thu 23 Jun 2022 10.44 EDT | Gloria Oladipo

[BenLurkin]

Six people died on Wednesday when a tourist helicopter used in Hollywood movies crashed in West Virginia during a vintage helicopter show where guests without pilot licenses were allowed to fly the aircraft.

The Vietnam-era helicopter, which had previously appeared in movies including Baywatch, Die Hard and Outbreak, was being flown during the 7th Annual Huey Reunion, an event for historical aviation enthusiasts.

Guests at the event, hosted at the Marpat Aviation school in Logan county, could pay to fly the helicopter for $250 for a 30-minute session even without having a license, according to the event page.

The helicopter, advertised as probably the oldest Bell UH-1B helicopter in existence, crashed near Route 17 in the state’s south-west region...

[Chainmail]

One of my TBS classmates had a photo of his CH-47 that he flew as an army Warrant Officer in Vietnam. The shaft between the two rotors failed just as he was flying over the narrow peak of a mountain and it landed exactly on the peak with two shattered rotors.

Frickin' miracle!

[Arlis]

ALMOST ditto. I learned to fly before I had a license to drive a car - my father a pilot who co-owned a number of planes, uncle an instructor and WWII Navy pilot.

AND MY SON IS A NAVY HELICOPTER PILOT! Another son a fixed-wing pilot.

I flew a Navy simulator of a Bell Jetranger, and believe me, as they say - it was like trying to stand on top of a greased bowling ball. And I’ve flown all kinds of fixed-wing aircraft. I need a fixed wing.

I’d take the risk of taking ONE flight with my son - just ONE. That would be enough.

[moehoward]

They have dual stick/controls.

I flew many hours “without a license” while getting my private.

[NorthMountain]

See my further comments ... I looked at their website, and it started to make sense.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

That’s interesting about the pilot knowing normal from abnormal vibrations.

I’m a mechanical engineer and have been able to do that in cars and in the house for years. I can hear, feel or sense abnormal operation way before other people. We have a hot water recirculating pump that is hard-plumbed to the copper pipe and the bearings are wearing out. I can hear the low-frequency rumble on our first floor. I can get into a car with worn-out struts or misbalanced tires and feel it immediately. The owner doesn’t notice it because things go bad or wear out so slowly.

I used to work in power plants and we always had the habit of always feeling bearings as we walked by equipment checking for abnormal vibrations.

[21twelve]

Back in college I took a class each year through ROTC that was “adventure” type stuff. Learning basic rock climbing, rappelling, etc.

The best one was rappelling off of a helicopter. All the other rappels we did made me nervous as you edged over the top of the cliff, or built up the near to get on a rope tied off to an i-beam in the ceiling of the gym.

In the helicopter it was just the guy in uniform barking “go,go,go! (or whatever it was) and off you went!

[Does so]

My USN Dad qualified in a helicopter, and never set foot in one again. .

They scared even him, a PBY pilot in WWII’s SW Pacific, who had five PBYs shot out from under him.

[ansel12]

For me helicopter rappelling made me more nervous than buildings or cliffs, but the excitement was more invigorating.
We used the old swiss seat which cost an SAS guy 2 crushed ankles.

[PLMerite]

Only helicopter I’ve ever been in was a Bell Model 47 (M*A*S*H type). It was interesting, but once was plenty.

[HereInTheHeartland]

“guests without pilot licenses were allowed to fly the aircraft.“

What a incredibly stupid idea

[shotgun]

Yeah, but technically, that was caused by a ground explosion special effect

[redcatcherb412]

I’ve ridden in a lot more helicopters than I’ve landed in

Amen, cannot forget the many missions being inserted and extracted by these now 'classic' birds in '67/'68.
This sassy looking bird from Fireball Aviation of the 199th Light Infantry Brigade.

Love the Huey, get that feeling in my gut hearing them in movies or videos. That wop-wop of one flaring and feathering for a landing you can feel deep vibrating your soul. And the earth shaking roar and vibration of multiple birds on a patrol mission is hard to forget.

I know, just another boomer trying to live in the past, but Air Mobile troopers know exactly what I wax on so eloquently of. lol.

[M1903A1]

Airwolf also lost a camera chopper (ironically also a Huey) during filming, with at least one fatality.

[doorgunner69]

I was onboard the helo shown in the pics. luckily we were only a few feet up.

Dumb ass pilot decided to be cute and pivot around on a small pad with the lead bird sitting there already unloading the MIA into the field hospital.

The crash landing was bad, but the shaking as it tore apart was worse. But, it did set down right there.

[ansel12]

I assume that all of us who relied on helicopters in the past feel a lot when we hear one passing by overhead now, but for those who rode them onto the battlefield the sound must stir incredibly intense sensations and memories, yet I have never seen an in depth article on it.

[Responsibility2nd]

I can’t believe nobody has posted this dialogue yet. From Me, Myself and Irene.

Language warning.

https://clip.cafe/me-myself-andamp-irene-2000/i-aint-saying-i-can-read-the-shit-all-good/

[SaveFerris]

Dang

[DPMD]

One of the more interesting tasks in helo maintenance is tracking the main rotor blades, in order to ensure that each one rotates in exactly (or as close as possible) the same plane as the others.