Probe reveals pilot intended  to unhook net with a black  bear inside to avoid  crash 

 

 

BANGKOK: -- Investigation into a black bear which fell to its death from a helicopter on February 11 showed it was the intention of the pilot to release the net to the ground to avoid crashing on a cliff while flying in Khao Yai national park.

 

This was revealed today by Mr Adisorn Nuchdamrong, inspector-general of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

Mr Adisorn said investigation of the death of the black bear falling from the helicopter showed that the pilot unlocked the hook to release  the net  because the helicopter was losing power as it was about to fly over  a cliff with the load of the bear.

 

The pilot feared the helicopter could fall or hit the cliff  if he didn’t unload the weight to save lives of all crews on board.

 

He also said the helicopter was flying the bear to release into the nature in Khao Yai national park.

 

Full story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/probe-reveals-pilot-intended-unhook-net-black-bear-inside-avoid-crash/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2017-04-19

 The chief of Kao yai operation centre said the pilot did not seek permission to fly the bear.

Utter nonsense, so he is saying the pilot decided himself to go ahead without permission.

Sounds like the chief is protecting his own back, and too hell with others.

19 minutes ago, colinneil said:

 The chief of Kao yai operation centre said the pilot did not seek permission to fly the bear.

Utter nonsense, so he is saying the pilot decided himself to go ahead without permission.

Sounds like the chief is protecting his own back, and too hell with others.

 

And how come the pilot didn't make some calculations in advance to establish whether the bear

was too heavy or not before take off?

Did the pilot not have the option of just lowering the bear to the ground before releasing the hook?

Sack all those involved in the farcical planning and execution of this idiotic scheme to ''relocate" the bear.

 The chief of Kao yai operation centre said the pilot did not seek permission to fly the bear.
Utter nonsense, so he is saying the pilot decided himself to go ahead without permission.
Sounds like the chief is protecting his own back, and too hell with others.

Colin, don't be so cynical: the pilot clearly laid the sling out on the ground and then lured the bear with honey to the spot. He then proceded to tranquilise the bear. After this he flew his helicopter to the spot, brought the helicopter to a hover 2m above the bear, jumped out, attached the sling to the helicopter and then pulled himself back into the helicopter and then set-off

In this case you can say the pilot came and wasn't "loaded for bear"

After further investigation, it is clear no one was at fault, the bear just committed suicide..

 

It could not find a balcony so it just used the helicopter that was just passing by..

Translation - the pilot realized far too late that the aircraft was overloaded and dropped the load. Oh, and that all the previous reports about tranquilizers wearing off etc. were fiction.

1 hour ago, DoctorG said:

Did the pilot not have the option of just lowering the bear to the ground before releasing the hook?

Or reduce the weight by pushing out some of the "other passengers"?

Sure there will be full investigation or not.  Poor bear. 

1 hour ago, scorecard said:

 

And how come the pilot didn't make some calculations in advance to establish whether the bear

was too heavy or not before take off?

You don't really believe that anybody here would "make any calculations in advance", do you?

 

 

Methinks that some idiot on board fiddling around made a mistake and released the sling hook unintentionally. Rest is all cover up. No pilot is such a fool not to calculate the payload before taking off.

Not trying to defend the pilot as poor planning is clearly at the root of this sad happening, but if he was in a mountainous area he could very possibly have been caught in a downdraft or powerful headwind.  Any pilot will tell you mountainous terrain can cause unpredictable wind conditions.  With the sling below, his option for increasing air speed by rapidly dropping altitude wasn't available. 

There is also the possibility that the sling caused a lot more drag than was expected.

Still and all, better planning and it probably wouldn't have happened.

A helicopter  can stop, hover , fly   backwards. So  why was  there  any  commitment to  fly up and over the  cliff ? 

Usual Thai planning, instead of choosing to fly at a higher altitude, leaves himself liable to collision by having no safety margin. Poor old bear.

3 hours ago, Bluespunk said:

Sack all those involved in the farcical planning and execution of this idiotic scheme to ''relocate" the bear.

Why? the bear has been relocated

2 minutes ago, soalbundy said:

Why? the bear has been relocated

One could be forgiven for assuming that the bear was supposed to be relocated alive and well. 

 

 

1 hour ago, cloudhopper said:

Translation - the pilot realized far too late that the aircraft was overloaded and dropped the load. Oh, and that all the previous reports about tranquilizers wearing off etc. were fiction.

No mention was made in earlier reports that the bear was in a sling, but it was supposed to have been in the helicopter itself, so clearly there is need for an investigation into earlier explanations given to the public, in what seems to be a clear cut case of truth obfuscation and misleading reports. Guess the senior officials responsible are counting on a collective case of amnesia and "mai pen rai" in the unnecessary death of this bear.  

3 minutes ago, djayz said:

One could be forgiven for assuming that the bear was supposed to be relocated alive and well. 

 

 

Relocated was the operative word, nobody specified the bears condition of health.

As opposed to the original story in which the bear, loosely covered by a net awoke early from its drug induced slumber and panicked thus falling out of the chopper.... or was that a different bear?

So instead of releasing the bear into the wild he just gave it a wild release

3 hours ago, scorecard said:

 

And how come the pilot didn't make some calculations in advance to establish whether the bear

was too heavy or not before take off?

I suppose landing never occurred to him?

9 minutes ago, lemonjelly said:

As opposed to the original story in which the bear, loosely covered by a net awoke early from its drug induced slumber and panicked thus falling out of the chopper.... or was that a different bear?

 

If only the pilot had awoke from his genetic induced stupidity.

Sometimes it does not rain only cats and dogs

16 minutes ago, soalbundy said:

Relocated was the operative word, nobody specified the bears condition of health.

I wonder if that's anything like "un-accommodated"

So the original story of waking up and falling out is BS. Who would of guessed 

40 minutes ago, soalbundy said:

Why? the bear has been relocated

So glad you find humour in yet another series of moronic, all too human, actions leading to the death of another living creature. 

 

But hey animals don't matter do they. 

3 hours ago, Bluespunk said:

Sack all those involved in the farcical planning and execution of this idiotic scheme to ''relocate" the bear.

Farang no underestand, this is the Thai way to relocate a bear.