Drone hit a news helicopter

[MacCool]

well reading this gave me a good laugh. So many experts. It was a part falling from another aircraft / ice falling from another aircraft / pilot covering up a telephone pole strike / claims that no drone could possible cause this damage / stray bullets. hahah ???
Im not even going to give my opinion as there are way to many expert opinions here, but like some of the real experts here have pointed out, it could indeed be possible but as there is no evidence and not likely to be, I guess we strike this up to another interesting news story

One doesn't have to be an expert to come to an obvious conclusion.

 

[Mavic Mac]

well reading this gave me a good laugh. So many experts. It was a part falling from another aircraft / ice falling from another aircraft / pilot covering up a telephone pole strike / claims that no drone could possible cause this damage / stray bullets. hahah ???
Im not even going to give my opinion as there are way to many expert opinions here, but like some of the real experts here have pointed out, it could indeed be possible but as there is no evidence and not likely to be, I guess we strike this up to another interesting news story

Never considered myself an expert (X=unknown substance spurt= drip under pressure)?

 

[AnzacJack]

One doesn't have to be an expert to come to an obvious conclusion.

I have read a stack of “obvious conclusions” here. I know what I think is obvious taking the information given, the pics of the damage and my 40 odd years in military and civilian aviation, but it certainly doesn’t align with many of the ideas being put across as “obvious”

 

[AnzacJack]

Who said any are expert? It’s just a fun chat to surmise what it could be it if wasn’t a drone. Dunno if I missed something but I didn’t get a ‘defensive’ feeling. More than likely a drone. But similar damage 25yrs ago? What would you say?

Maybe I’m reading it wrong. Some comments and discussion are good, but some just seem to be dismissing other theories out of hand.

If I saw this damage 25 years ago? It would depend on the story that came with it, but I would guess at FOD damage from take of or landing

 

[AMann]

Maybe I’m reading it wrong. Some comments and discussion are good, but some just seem to be dismissing other theories out of hand.

If I saw this damage 25 years ago? It would depend on the story that came with it, but I would guess at FOD damage from take of or landing

FOD damage during takeoff is definitely a possibility, but they did mention feeling an impact during flight. A drone impact would count as FOD damage, too. As I posted earlier, even a simple survey vest has taken out a helicopter. But even larger FOD can cause problems for aircraft:

 

[GadgetGuy]

FOD damage during takeoff is definitely a possibility, but they did mention feeling an impact during flight. A drone impact would count as FOD damage, too. As I posted earlier, even a simple survey vest has taken out a helicopter. But even larger FOD can cause problems for aircraft:
View attachment 87759

Yeah, they might want to check out that engine obstruction before takeoff!

 

[Drgnfli]

There has been no official blame apportioned. The news station that owned the helicopter stated that they believe it was a drone. That's their opinion, based on limited evidence, and they are entitled to it. The readiness of the general public to accept that explanation is due, at least in part, to the bad press that some drone pilots have, quite reasonably, attracted and a more widespread nervousness about flying cameras. It goes with the territory, and there is little point simply lamenting unbalanced news coverage. The LA Times reported the incident, accurately enough, as a possible drone strike.

If you don't complain about their news coverage how do they get to learn that we know they are exaggerating. Personally, I think it was a meteorite so that must be the truth !!!

 

[Drgnfli]

Did you read the post? Those were for a Phantom UAS which would qualify as a consumer drone.

You sure want it to be a drone!

 

[AMann]

Well, time to use the ol’ ignore thread button on this one until FAA publishes their report...

 

[Drgnfli]

well reading this gave me a good laugh. So many experts. It was a part falling from another aircraft / ice falling from another aircraft / pilot covering up a telephone pole strike / claims that no drone could possible cause this damage / stray bullets. hahah ???
Im not even going to give my opinion as there are way to many expert opinions here, but like some of the real experts here have pointed out, it could indeed be possible but as there is no evidence and not likely to be, I guess we strike this up to another interesting news story

I agree with everything you said except it is not "...interesting news story." It is another ANTI-DRONE story & there are plenty of those type of lies out there about our hobby/profession... IMHO!...

 

[sar104]

If you don't complain about their news coverage how do they get to learn that we know they are exaggerating. Personally, I think it was a meteorite so that must be the truth !!!

It's just unfortunate that you can't tell the difference between what you know and what you believe.

 

[AnzacJack]

FOD damage during takeoff is definitely a possibility, but they did mention feeling an impact during flight. A drone impact would count as FOD damage, too. As I posted earlier, even a simple survey vest has taken out a helicopter. But even larger FOD can cause problems for aircraft:

i was just replying to comment of what i would have thought of this damage if it had been presented 20 years ago. I dont think this incident was related to FOD damage during take off\

I agree with everything you said except it is not "...interesting news story." It is another ANTI-DRONE story & there are plenty of those type of lies out there about our hobby/profession... IMHO!...

interesting enough for you to read through and comment on multiple times

 

[AnzacJack]

Edited for correction, I got the air flow direction mixed up on the rear tail rotor.

I am surprised how close the drone had to have been to the starboard side window in order to hit that stabilizer where it did. Looking at the top, the main rotor is going clockwise, so to counter that, the rear rotor is pulling air from the port side to starboard (right), which would blow the drone away from the stabilizer, additionally, airflow would be traveling along the curvature of the body and would tend to pull things in towards the rear part of the helicopter, so I would think that the drone flew right past the passenger side window very closely in order to hit the horizontal stabilizer where it did. They are so lucky it didn’t come in through the windshield, it wasn’t very far away if anything.

Overall, it’s an interesting problem with aerodynamics and physics looking at how the “probable” drone hit it.

all assuming the drone was flying from front to rear of the Heli. it could have been travelling towards the impact area from the side and therefor not travelled the entire distance under the propwash

 

[GadgetGuy]

But even larger FOD can cause problems for aircraft:
View attachment 87765

What will this same jet engine suck in next?
This was a really bad day on the tarmac!
There must have been a drone involved somehow to cause cause this kind of havoc!
See how easy it is to create a bogus story?
More fake news!

 

[strdr]

The comments on the LA website are hilarious. "Maybe her 40lb purse flew out the side door." lmao

 

[MacCool]

The comments on the LA website are hilarious. "Maybe her 40lb purse flew out the side door." lmao

That makes at least as much sense as some of the other scenarios proposed in this thread.

 

[RayKelly]

Los Angeles television station says chopper struck by drone, forced to make precautionary landing

A news helicopter belonging to an ABC owned-and-operated television station was forced to make a precautionary landing on Wednesday night after it struck an object believed to be a drone while flying over downtown Los Angeles.

www.foxnews.com

Either someone wasn't flying smart or maybe they thought that they could fly 400 feet above the buildings.

Hope they can identify what hit the helicopter and id the pilot if it was a drone. Not good