Army helicopter makes emergency landing in Nakhon Nayok, five crew injured

[webfact]

Army helicopter makes emergency landing in Nakhon Nayok, five crew injured
By Digital Media



BANGKOK, June 17 - An army helicopter made an emergency landing today in Nakhon Nayok province with five crew members reportedly injured during the crash landing.

Army deputy spokesman Col Sirichan Ngathong confirmed the incident, adding that the Huey helicopter belonged to the Lop Buri Army Aviation Centre.

It made the emergency landing in Banna district this morning due to a technical glitch in its rotor while on its way to do an aerial inspection in the northeastern province of Sa Kaeo.

As the helicopter hit the ground, Col Sirichan said, eight crew members on board, including pilots, mechanics and one maintenance staff, were in safe condition, but five suffered minor injuries and required medical attention.

She said army personnel were sent to the crash scene to probe the cause of the incident and move the helicopter for further examination.

The spokesman said Army Chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha has been informed of the incident and instructed officials to clarify the matter to the public to avoid misunderstanding.

UH1 helicopters have been deployed in the Thai army for more than 30 years. More than 50 of the craft are currently under maintenance to extend their service for a further 10 years . (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2013-06-17

[EyesWideOpen]

These choppers are flying antiques from the Vietnam war. Time to upgrade or stop sending servicemen up in death machines. This is the third crash in recent memory. " Private Sombat, get in that chopper!!! No no no please, I have a wife and children to take care of ... "

[Unkomoncents]

Reminds me of the three Blackhawk crashes that the Thai military experienced over the last few years. The funniest part was when the Thai military tried to suggest that the US sold them faulty helicopters: as though it was believable that America's most advanced military weaponry was more likely at fault than Thai negligence, ignorance, and insufficient training. Hilarious. Anyone who's ever been to Thailand knows that, if safety is a priority, Thais should left out of the equation. There are species of fish that show more concern for personal and familial safety than the average Thai.

[jcb2001]

That was not an emergency landing! From the sight of things, it was an emergency "CRASH". Glad to hear no one died.

Edited June 17, 2013 by jcb2001

[ratcatcher]

That was not an emergency landing! From the sight of things, it was an emergency "CRASH". Glad to hear no one died.

So you don't think Huey is fixable? A few spare parts, a bit of fibreglass work, new rotor and a slap of camo paint and Charlie's your aunt.

[slapout]

A techinal glitch and emergency landing has to be someones take on "Lets not make a big deal out of this" . A picture may not have been anticapated.

[BoonToong]

Cat 1, bordering on 5

[MikeOboe57]

The German Armed Forces have been flying the UH-1 since the late 1960s and it is still a reliable albeit ageing workhorse. It now suffers from an ever decreasing load capacity especially at higher altitudes/ temperatures, which i.a. made it unsuitable for use in Afghanistan.

I had countless rides in this helicopter and never felt unsafe.

The picture looks like the pilot made a gliding autorotation landing in a rice paddy but overshot and the helicopter was stopped by an earth wall. The main rotor hit the wall and the mast sheared off.

edit: The H/C is of course totalled and has to be written off.

Edited June 17, 2013 by MikeOboe57

[richardt1808]

Absolutely gotta love the headline and the usual attempt to paint something over. I always thought that emergency landings are where some minor incident has ocurred and the aircraft lands safely. This one is a crash, plain and simple.

[fakename]

At least the officials were instructed to clarify to the public, so there would be no misunderstanding. Yes, most would look at the picture and think it was a crash landing, when in fact, it was just a normal Thai landing!

[planemad]

Cat 1, bordering on 5

Not sure everyone will understand that, but basically, cat 1 is serviceable at flight line level, Cat 5 is scrap or beyond economical repair. I would tend to err on the side of Cat 5 myself.

[Tboy928]

That was not an emergency landing! From the sight of things, it was an emergency "CRASH". Glad to hear no one died.

autorotate crash landing, it looks like. Would not fly with Thai army even if they offer me 2 mill bath..

[Totster]

edit: The H/C is of course totalled and has to be written off.

Don't count on it...

totster

[lee b]

100 % crash landing !

[itchybum]

The German Armed Forces have been flying the UH-1 since the late 1960s and it is still a reliable albeit ageing workhorse. It now suffers from an ever decreasing load capacity especially at higher altitudes/ temperatures, which i.a. made it unsuitable for use in Afghanistan.

I had countless rides in this helicopter and never felt unsafe.

The picture looks like the pilot made a gliding autorotation landing in a rice paddy but overshot and the helicopter was stopped by an earth wall. The main rotor hit the wall and the mast sheared off.

edit: The H/C is of course totalled and has to be written off.

Is your name Sonny ?

You sound like you've been talking to Skippy.

[webfact]

UPDATE:
Five injured as Army helicopter ditches in pond
Panya Tiewsangwarn
The Nation



NAKHON NAYOK: -- A military helicopter made an emergency landing in Nakhon Nayok yesterday morning due to a broken sling in its rudder.

Five of the eight soldiers on board were injured in the incident.

After taking off from Lop Buri on a trip to Sa Kaeo, the helicopter became unresponsive over Nakhon Nayok and the pilot decided to ditch the aircraft in a pond.

Army Deputy Spokesman Winthai Suwaree said yesterday that the helicopter belonged to the Army's fleet of rotary-wing aircraft.

The Army Aviation Centre, the 2nd Infantry Division the Royal Guards, and the aviation safety committee have also examined the helicopter in a bid to determine the cause of the broken sling.

The five inured in the accident - Master Sergeant Sornravit Intor, Captain Tumrongkeat Chattoranong, Sergeant Tawatchai Siriwong, Major Tosapon Nutsaryu and Captain Kachen Sai-ting - are being treated at Royal Chulachomklao Military Academy Hospital.

-- The Nation 2013-06-18

[OzMick]

".........due to a broken sling in its rudder."

What does this mean?

[bunnydrops]

Back in the 60's, my girlfriend's father flew helicopter in the Navy. After the third one gave out on him, he retired. He told me above a certain altitude you could feather the prop and the hit wouldn't be too bad, but under that, you are just a hunk of metal in the air. It looks like the pilot landed in a pond. I wonder if he was trying for that. I would think an open field would have been better.

[monty]

Never heard of a huey having a rudder...

Tailrotor, yup..

Sent from my GT-I9001 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Garry]

Still a good result, no deaths in the incident.

[itchybum]

He thought he was on a boat...hence aiming for the water

[itchybum]

Back in the 60's, my girlfriend's father flew helicopter in the Navy. After the third one gave out on him, he retired. He told me above a certain altitude you could feather the prop and the hit wouldn't be too bad, but under that, you are just a hunk of metal in the air. It looks like the pilot landed in a pond. I wonder if he was trying for that. I would think an open field would have been better.

Different thinking process innit.

True, it is called the dead mans curve.....but also depends on forward speed.

[Cuban]

...... just a hunk of metal in the air. It looks like the pilot landed in a pond. I wonder if he was trying for that.

I would think an open field would have been better.

When you are coming in for a hard landing; water looks a lot softer than a rice field.

From the picture I have the impression that the Pilot In Command was aiming for the water but as close to the edge as possible to aid rescue and recovery rather than the obvious middle of the pond. Deep water is softer but more dangerous from a survival situation where some crew maybe trapped or injured.

A Thai paper reports the pond was 5 metres at it's deepest.

The guy did the right thing, quickly and under extreme stress.

The Thai PIC is the "Capt. Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger" of the Thai Army today for that landing, no question about that.

-------------------------edit-----------------------------

Looking at Thai newspaper sites, they are suggesting the belt (sling) that drives the tail rotor failed, sending the helicopter into a spin. His landing as best possible the only viable action.

In the other photographs from the crash site you see the various local "officials" visiting during the recovery process, they are all wearing their Sunday best square shouldered silk jackets, they know the media are there and seek their 15 seconds of fame.

Edited June 18, 2013 by Cuban

[itchybum]

...... just a hunk of metal in the air. It looks like the pilot landed in a pond. I wonder if he was trying for that.

I would think an open field would have been better.

When you are coming in for a hard landing; water looks a lot softer than a rice field.

From the picture I have the impression that the Pilot In Command was aiming for the water but as close to the edge as possible to aid rescue and recovery rather than the obvious middle of the pond. Deep water is softer but more dangerous from a survival situation where some crew maybe trapped or injured.

A Thai paper reports the pond was 5 metres at it's deepest.

The guy did the right thing, quickly and under extreme stress.

The Thai PIC is the "Capt. Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger" of the Thai Army today for that landing, no question about that.

-------------------------edit-----------------------------

Looking at Thai newspaper sites, they are suggesting the belt (sling) that drives the tail rotor failed, sending the helicopter into a spin. His landing as best possible the only viable action.

In the other photographs from the crash site you see the various local "officials" visiting during the recovery process, they are all wearing their Sunday best square shouldered silk jackets, they know the media are there and seek their 15 seconds of fame.

...... just a hunk of metal in the air. It looks like the pilot landed in a pond. I wonder if he was trying for that.

I would think an open field would have been better.

When you are coming in for a hard landing; water looks a lot softer than a rice field.

From the picture I have the impression that the Pilot In Command was aiming for the water but as close to the edge as possible to aid rescue and recovery rather than the obvious middle of the pond. Deep water is softer but more dangerous from a survival situation where some crew maybe trapped or injured.

A Thai paper reports the pond was 5 metres at it's deepest.

The guy did the right thing, quickly and under extreme stress.

The Thai PIC is the "Capt. Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger" of the Thai Army today for that landing, no question about that.

-------------------------edit-----------------------------

Looking at Thai newspaper sites, they are suggesting the belt (sling) that drives the tail rotor failed, sending the helicopter into a spin. His landing as best possible the only viable action.

In the other photographs from the crash site you see the various local "officials" visiting during the recovery process, they are all wearing their Sunday best square shouldered silk jackets, they know the media are there and seek their 15 seconds of fame.

Anyone that could do a half decent auto would not put it into the water.

[Tywais]

Anyone that could do a half decent auto would not put it into the water.

Posting as a licensed and experienced helo pilot I assume? Or is that captain armchair expert?

[itchybum]

Anyone that could do a half decent auto would not put it into the water.

Posting as a licensed and experienced helo pilot I assume? Or is that captain armchair expert?

You assume correctly.

[itchybum]

By the way, would love to see the belt that drives that tail rotor.

[MikeOboe57]

By the way, would love to see the belt that drives that tail rotor.

The tailrotor of the UH-1 is driven by a driveshaft going from the main gearbox along the upper side of the tail, through a 60° and a 90° gearbox. No slings or belts. However the pitch of the tail rotor blades is controlled via a set of cables operated by the pedals.

[GentlemanJim]

Anyone that could do a half decent auto would not put it into the water.

Posting as a licensed and experienced helo pilot I assume? Or is that captain armchair expert?

You assume correctly.

Well I can do a really decent auto and had to put one down in the North Sea, so how does that work?

If as you say you are a licenced experienced Heli Pilot then you should know that there are a lot of things we dont know about the incident. Speed, Height, position and importantly the exact nature of the emergency. I was very lucky that my tail rotor failure happened over water, as we did have a soft landing and we all got out. If it would have happened 15 mins earlier we would have been over land and the chances are with what happened to the aircraft and what we were carrying we would have all died that day. So was aiming for the water his choice, we don't know, but it looks as if he was neither in or out. Depending on his height, speed and reaction time it would have been a case of pull the throttles and do what you can. The simple fact of the matter is it is irrelevant considering where he should have landed, as anyone who has what appears may have been a catastrophic tail rotor malfunction and lands and everyone gets out alive has done an epic job.

[itchybum]

Yes he has done a great job, no argument.

Just saying I would never aim for water, with all them clear paddocks about....unless of course there is no land about, as in your case, which makes the statement a tad silly in your opening sentence..