Drone blamed for Helicopter Crash in South Carolina

[TrayBoz]

See story below:
Charleston helicopter crash blamed on drone; FAA investigating

 

[Simmo]

 

[Gubernator]

I am not defending the drone pilot but how do we know the helicopter didn’t fly in the location of the drone. Automatically the drone pilot is blamed.

Do helicopter instructors have to fly in specific areas and if so do they have to register flight plans or can they fly were they want?

 

[Former Member]

Im glad the student and instructor were ok.

"If you can walk away from a landing, it's a good landing. If you use the airplane the next day, it's an outstanding landing." - Chuck Yeager

 

[ascension]

I am not defending the drone pilot but how do we know the helicopter didn’t fly in the location of the drone. Automatically the drone pilot is blamed.

Do helicopter instructors have to fly in specific areas and if so do they have to register flight plans or can they fly were they want?

VFR, no flight plan required.

 

[rfc]

See story below:
Charleston helicopter crash blamed on drone; FAA investigating

This will be an interesting one to follow; once the facts are known. I'm not a helo guy, what are "Low impact and hover techniques"? The helo pilot says the Phantom "entered his airspace"...How big is a manned A/C's airspace? While UAS's must give way to manned A/C, "see and avoid" would come into play would it not?

If the facts prove out, it's hard to imagine the UAS pilot is going to avoid big trouble, but certainly more facts should be forthcoming.

 

[ascension]

While UAS's must give way to manned A/C, "see and avoid" would come into play would it not?

The report specifically mentions the helo pilot was trying to avoid the drone.

 

[2nckayakers]

Student screwed up, instructor tried to correct but failed, both concocted a story to CYA and blamed a drone. Now if they were flying as they said and some irresponsible person flew their phantom intentionally and caused them to crash then that person should be held accountable, but if it was made up story to CYA then they should be held accountable.

 

[ascension]

Student screwed up, instructor tried to correct but failed, both concocted a story to CYA and blamed a drone. Now if they were flying as they said and some irresponsible person flew their phantom intentionally and caused them to crash then that person should be held accountable, but if it was made up story to CYA then they should be held accountable.

That scenario wouldn't surprise me at all.

 

[Jake 61]

If the student had got into an area that close to trees, then they were both ****** no matter who was at the controls.
I agree, it's story time to cover ***.

 

[Brojon]

The report specifically mentions the helo pilot was trying to avoid the drone.

So they're 50 ft over tree level and the tail managed to smack a tree - what the heck was he trying to do - *land*??? Not a great avoidance strategy to crash into trees.
NC isn't known for towering trees - on the islands they tend to all be the same height from sea breezes. So if he was 50 ft over the trees then 120 ft AGL would be a generous guesstimate - totally reckless IMHO with a student if factual.

I'm also of the opinion this is CYA pure and simple. Even if it were bizarrely true - I doubt you could hold the UAV operator at fault given the ridiculous height of the chopper plus the fact the accident was clearly overreaction on the part of the pilot (if true) and not a collision.

 

[Sprocket]

I wonder if it wasn't just a white bird and they concocted the drone story.

 

[Qoncussion]

Following...

 

[Eric17]

Going by the story i dont see how this would be a drones fault, if there even was a drone. Sounds like the instructor needs to get some instructing by a real pilot.

 

[JMF]

View attachment 31500

LOL !

 

[ascension]

So they're 50 ft over tree level and the tail managed to smack a tree - what the heck was he trying to do - *land*??? Not a great avoidance strategy to crash into trees.
NC isn't known for towering trees - on the islands they tend to all be the same height from sea breezes. So if he was 50 ft over the trees then 120 ft AGL would be a generous guesstimate - totally reckless IMHO with a student if factual.

I'm also of the opinion this is CYA pure and simple. Even if it were bizarrely true - I doubt you could hold the UAV operator at fault given the ridiculous height of the chopper plus the fact the accident was clearly overreaction on the part of the pilot (if true) and not a collision.

This is the kind of post that disturbs me about drone operators, and how they relate to the existing aviation community.
I doubt the poster has any knowledge of helicopter training, or this specific area.
I do know that tree height is not determined by "sea breezes."
I would view it as likely that this is an attempt by the instructor to confuse the issue and excuse what happened, but I am constantly amazed by what drone operators think they know, and constantly speculate about.

 

[LasVegasPilot]

Maybe this is going to be a new trend...blame mystical drones for all aviation mishaps.

 

[dvarapala]

That instructor was amazing. In a panic situation, with his student pilot freaking out and potentially about to crash, he was able to not only take over control and land the helicopter but he could identify the make and model of a model aircraft less than 1 foot square from some distance away. Maybe he can bring his super-powers to bear once more to actually find the drone and its owner.

 

[dvarapala]

Maybe this is going to be a new trend...blame mystical drones for all aviation mishaps.

At least until the "drone" turns out to be a plastic grocery bag.

 

[Brojon]

I wonder if it wasn't just a white bird and they concocted the drone story.

Not like a thing called seagulls aren't flying around the coastal area

This is the kind of post that disturbs me about drone operators, and how they relate to the existing aviation community.
I doubt the poster has any knowledge of helicopter training, or this specific area.
I do know that tree height is not determined by "sea breezes."
I would view it as likely that this is an attempt by the instructor to confuse the issue and excuse what happened, but I am constantly amazed by what drone operators think they know, and constantly speculate about.

You can be disturbed all you want - I lived there and am stating how things are. The breeze off the Atlantic is almost 100% towards land - the trees all respond/adapt by leaning the branches inland. From above they provide a very uniform height and it's practically guaranteed to be around 50-60 ft tops.
I can also state that if you're 50 feet above the trees as stated then no amount of tilt is gonna stick a tail rotor in a tree - unless of course he allowed it lose altitude. So he either lied about his altitude or pulled one ***** of a move.
Seriously - lose the holier than thou attitude - pilots can be dumba**es too.