Helo Down

RoseRed

American Beauty
PREMO Member
All the DC news channels are reporting it. I think it was near the third hole on the golf course.
 

Grumpy

Well-Known Member

One of the crew members was taken by helicopter to a local hospital, but Cummings wouldn't describe his injuries. The other two members of the crew were okay, Cummings said. Two medevac helicopters were initially sent to the scene to assist.

Reporting 2 unhurt and one to hospital..seems to be at odds with what baynet is reporting. (Cumming is a spokesman from Ft. Belvoir)
 

TPD

the poor dad
Not sure I would want to get in a helicopter for a ride to the hospital after the helo I was just in crashed to the ground. Let me take my chances on 4 wheels.
 

glhs837

Power with Control
Not sure I would want to get in a helicopter for a ride to the hospital after the helo I was just in crashed to the ground. Let me take my chances on 4 wheels.


Well, if you need trauma care...... that's a ways up the road from there.
 

BernieP

Resident PIA
I saw three fly over L-Town.

Wonder if it was one of them....

Yes, it was. Mentioned on the late news. The thought it that being part of a formation will give the investigators more and better eye witness information than is normal. Also heard that it was the tail rotor that failed.
 

Goldenhawk

Well-Known Member
Also heard that it was the tail rotor that failed.
I read at least two eyewitness statements that it was spinning out of the air, so that's a fair guess. There are an awful lot of individual failures that could cause that kind of rotation - not just the tail rotor itself... gearbox failures, yaw control system jams, structural failure of the vertical tail, etc... if you lump that under "tail rotor", I would have to agree it's most likely true.

If you're curious, this is a great description of the various kinds helicopter emergencies. Page 16 covers tail rotor issues under the heading "Antitorque System Failure".
https://www.faa.gov/regulations_pol...helicopter_flying_handbook/media/hfh_ch11.pdf

My favorite line from that section: "A helicopter is a collection of compromises."
 
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