Helicopter kills biologist

Sounds more like pilot error to me. I wonder how else he could have exited the helicopter without it hitting him?

I have only been in a helicopter once, and I can't say I am too exited about doing it again.

There have been more military people killed in helicopter crashes than just about any other thing since Desert Storm.

3 or 4 Forest Service people were killed in a helicopter here back when they were doing all of the space shuttle recovery stuff. Not to many successful crash landings of a helicopter.

Getting hit by the rotar is just something else to have to worry about.
 
Although we were not there, we questioned responsibility also. Maybe the pilot at the least should have signaled a warning. But maybe the biologist bailed out without time for that. Was there a high side exit? Flying sure has it's risk and this year it is a much higher death rate with helicopters locally this year. Seems like 5-6 within a hundred miles. My last two flights saved my life and those blades seemed to close then also.
 
Sounds like a Darwin award winner to me. No pilot error (he would be no more responsible than if someone stuck their head under the hood of your car into the fan blades) the dude walked into the rotating blades. The helicopter didn't crash...it was sitting on the ground.
 
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Sounds like a Darwin award winner to me. No pilot error (he would be no more responsible than if someone stuck their head under the hood of your car into the fan blades) the dude walked into the rotating blades. The helicopter didn't crash...it was sitting on the ground.




Gee, try not to be so sympathetic. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

If the blades were low enough that he could "walk into them", then it obviously wasn't sitting in a normal possition. Have you ever seen a helicopter with a rotor that low?
 
I talked to Rocky several times regarding lynx (or lack there of) in Washington state. He seemed like a nice guy and definately knew his stuff when it came to cats (especially cougars) in our state. I think this was just a terrible accident and wouldn't rush to place blame on anyone involved.
 
Its like a train...not likely to sneek up on you anytime soon. I have been on several helicopters, I am quite tall and I am closer than I like to be to the rotating blades...all the time. Too bad ...meant no disrespect but some times you have to take responsiblity for yourself.
 
God be with this "Keeper" of our hunting tradition! Comfort his family and fellow workers. God also be with the Aviator, comfort his inner self when it stirs!

Redhound80
 
We just got done flying bighorn survey's not to long ago. Really makes me realize how dangerous the job can be. I always enjoy flying in the helo's even though there is some risk. The pilots always told me to exit to the front of the helocopter, to avoid the tail rotor and the blades are at the highest point toward the front 1/2 of the bird.
 
There is obviously "real" dangers in helicopter work. One has to pay attention while working around these machines. Many people forget about the rotors because they are hard to see.

These type of accidents are not generally pilot error but passengers thinking about the next task at hand instead of the task of safely exiting the helicopter.

It is always said to hear about these types of trageties.
 
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