Noen helikopterulykker - Curt Lewis /ASN

 

NTSB: Helicopter Hit Guy Wire Above I-10, Crashed and Burned

The National Transportation Safety Board says a fatal, fiery helicopter crash on Interstate 10 in Louisiana occurred after the helicopter hit a guy wire above a bridge during foggy weather.

LAPLACE, La. (AP) — A fatal, fiery helicopter crash on Interstate 10 in Louisiana occurred after the helicopter hit a guy wire above a bridge during foggy weather, knocking off its rotor, the National Transportation Safety Board said.

The pilot died when the Bell 407 helicopter crashed and burned on the Bonnet Carré Spillway bridge about 12:30 p.m. on Dec. 14 near LaPlace. He was not named in the NTSB report on Wednesday, but local media reported in December that he was identified as Joshua Hawley, 42. of Galvez.

The federal agency’s preliminary report said the helicopter hit a guy wire about 130 feet (40 meters) above the bridge, and its main rotor blades, mast, and transmission came off. They were found in Lake Pontchartrain.

Hawley had flown out of Gonzales. He flew along the highway toward New Orleans, generally flying 75 to 175 feet (23 to 53 meters) above the ground, the NTSB said. At one point he descended to 50 feet (15 meters) above I-10.

Video from several commercial vehicles' dash cameras showed the helicopter coming apart, the report said. Officials told local media that the helicopter clipped power lines; the NTSB said video of such impact has not been found.

After it hit the ground, fire “consumed most of the fuselage,” the report said.

A responding Coast Guard helicopter found that “low level fog allowed the stanchions of the power lines to be barely visible from the east. However, from the west, the fog layer was above the power lines,” according to the report.

All the helicopter's major components were found and taken to a secure facility for further examination, the report said.

Date:	06-JAN-2022
Time:	c. 17:30
Type:	Robinson R44 Raven II
Owner/operator:	Héliclub du Périgord
Registration:	F-HARY
MSN:	12616
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Category:	Accident
Location:	Col du Béal, Puy de Dome -    France
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Villefranche/Tarare Airport (LFHV)
Destination airport:	Brive-La-Gaillarde-Laroche Airport (BVE/LFBV)
Investigating agency:	BEA

Narrative:
A Robinson R44 Raven II crashed on the Col du Béal (c 4600 ft AMSL) and burst into flames.
It had departed Villefranche/Tarare Airport (LFHV) at 15:30 hours local time, bound for Brive-la-Gaillarde Laroche Aiport (BVE/LFBV).
Both occupants were killed

Date:	06-JAN-2022
Time:
Type:	Airbus Helicopters H125 Ecureuil (AS 350B3e)
Owner/operator:	Private
Registration:	RA-07295
MSN:	8170
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 3
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location:	near Karagaikul, Blagoveshchensky district, Bashkortostan -    Russia
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Ufa
Destination airport:	Pavlovka

Narrative:
A helicopter crashed near Karagaikul, Blagoveshchensky district, Bashkortostan and was destroyed. There was a pilot and two passengers on board. One person died (a lawyer), two others were seriously injured.

Note some press reports incorrectly sate the registration was RA-07219.

Date:	06-JAN-2022
Time:	c. 15:30
Type:	Bell AH-1Z Viper
Owner/operator:	US Marine Corps (USMC), HMLA-773
Registration:
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Location:	near Joint Base McGuire Dix Lakehurst Apt. (WRI/KWRI), Wrightstown, NJ -    United States of America
Phase:	Unknown
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:
Destination airport:

Narrative:
A USMC Bell AH-1Z Viper, operated by HMLA-773 / MAG 49 / 4th MAW, sustained substantial damage after crashing in a field near McGuire Field (Joint Base McGuire Dix Lakehurst) Airport (WRI/KWRI), Wrightstown, New Jersey.
The two occupants received unspecified injuries.