Fiji accident video

[bman]

Birdy, sorry buddy. I wasn't trying to call you stupid. I was just trying to say that the whole downwind talk in a squirrel (especially at sea level, i assume under MAUW) is stupid. You asked for advice on previous posts. And i was just saying that with my experience in squirrels its not an issue. (As long as you know where the wind is coming from) but i assumed that since the pilot was hovering he new where the wind was? If they are gonna go with a wind gust creating this crash, then it would probably have to be a gust of a couple of hundred knots.

[zzodr]

Weather report at time of accident from Nadi Airport 21km to the SE.
Time 2:00 PM
Temp 26.0 °C
Humidity 89% Pressure 1008 hPa
Vis 8.0 km
Wind from SE 11.1 km/h / 3.1 m/s

[bones2898]

Ok I've stayed out of this til now, but after sitting on my butt for the last few hrs flying back from helping a neighbor 150nm away thinking about all this, I will add.
All this talk about being "professional pilots" not landing into the wind because there not enough room to do so,,,,,, is well a load of crap, if it is deemed to be not the right thing to do, and obviously this "pad" is used all the time, why don't all the "professional pilots" say to the owner/operator of that "pad" this is not good enough and flatten some trees and make room to do it right?
Because just think of this, what would have happened if this accident killed everyone one on board? How would that have made all the "professional pilots" that load there this way all the time look??
I have seen myself a "proper professional outfit" at Harvey bay operate , there is 3 or 4 r66 there ferrying customers to Hamilton island, and every time they would land into the wind, which put their tail rotors to the terminal, and if there was more than 2 paying customers there was 2 escorts to take them around to the front of the ac and load them close doors ect, then the chopper would leave.
I'm only a dumb cow chaser and I have never yet been told to do anything that I don't feel is the right thing to do, if the fuel is not in a good enough spot it gets moved, if people/ dogs/ horses what ever is around the motor don't get started. Never wrecked a chopper yet, but I guess I'm just lucky huh?
And yet all that is in the thread is about being " professional " I say maybe some people need to pull their heads out.

[bigboynasty]

Finally someone who is talking sense. What a load of old horse chap that has been written on this subject, good on you Bones!

[coptathat]

Argh Bones,
An old saying comes to mind, "Sometimes it's better to keep your mouth shut and let people think you're an idiot, rather than open it and prove them right!"

[bones2898]

Argh Bones,
An old saying comes to mind, "Sometimes it's better to keep your mouth shut and let people think you're an idiot, rather than open it and prove them right!"

There is also a saying " to keep doing the same thing expecting a different outcome is only something a fool would do" Copthat
Unless of course your like most of the other sheep who haven't got the balls to speak up about safety and promote the "professional look"

[FatBoy1971]

Okay, I'll bite.

From the people that have some experience with Squirrels on here, the wind did not seem to be a causal factor in this accident. Also, the Squirrel isn't a "widdle wobbie". It doesn't mind some wind from the rear, and obviously this pilot thought so too. He weighed up all of the risks (passenger control, tail position, compliance with procedures, etc.), and deemed the most acceptable thing to do was to land with some tail wind. People operating at all levels should do this, it is called Risk Management. I'll just tell the Paramedics that I can't land on that Hospital Pad because the wind is from the wrong direction (still within aircraft and my personal limits). I'll go back to the shore because the rig wouldn't turn around 180 degrees for me to have an into wind landing (again, still within limits). I won't take my passengers for a fly, because the trolley has put a tail wind component in (again, within limits). Get the boss to move the hangars, because today the wind is from the wrong direction. Those darn cows are running the wrong way!!

Okay, tell the owner of the resort to cut down some trees, he will get somebody else to do the job, because this is the first time that it has been seen as an issue by people sitting in their armchairs typing on their computers, far removed from the actual event. FFS!!!

If he cuts down the trees, people may not come to the resort because the "trees that blocked the view of the cement pad" are no longer there.

As I said previously, I'll wait until the Accident Investigation Report is released, to find out what actually caused the accident.

[Birdy]

Also, the Squirrel isn't a "widdle wobbie".

Ah yes, got it now.
Nothn to do with minimising every possable risk for passengers and machine by maken allowences for any condition.
Nah, its just penis envy.

[Yankee]

After all this I have to look on the bright side... It's no longer necessary to wash the tail boom!

[KiwiKid]

Was hoping this thread would dissapear & never been seen again but it keeps getting dragged up.
I have personally landed at that pad a few times and it is not possible to land the opposite way. There is a fence and trees close by, let alone landing with your tail pointing towards resort staff & guests!
Also we are talking about a small island with a resort on it so its not feasable to just cut trees down to make more room as there is not enough island to do this.
There was talk a while back about the island building a jetty with a helipad at the end of it, obviously hasn't happened yet.
That pad also has a decent amount of back slope which doesn't help.
I'm all for making situations safer but in this case & many situations you have to make do with what you have been given on the day & try minimise those risks.
I'm glad that everyone was ok & we'll all learn from this accident.

[Birdy]

Rito, ill leave the dead wind direction horse alone.
But, its been mentioned a couple of times that this pad is sloped.
The reason is............?

[KiwiKid]

Pad slopes due to natural cause i.e erosion/subsidence

[bladepitch]

I agree, this thread has gone on too long with quaterbacks making comment based on a video.

The only ones i would listen to is someone who has landed there personally..

And from what i can gather, non of those have bagged out the pilot or his decision to approach the way he did..
What does that tell you...

An investigation will provide answers which i will read with interest. The best lessons sadly are the hardest ones. We have all scared ourselves over the years.. You never forget them do you??
Remember it can happen to you !! And if ypu think it wont.. I hope i never come accross you in the industry...

I Wish the pilot all the best...

[Birdy]

Thanks K K, id assumed such, just wanted to be sure I wasn't missing something.