Helicopter crash in Bettystown

Wishbone Ash

A helicopter has crashed into the Neptune Hotel in Bettystown, Co Meath.

Emergency services at scene.

Wishbone Ash

RTE http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0918/bettystown.html

Hagar

It has just appeared on Aertel. 1 person believed to be on board.

/*snap

nowuckenfurries

The Neptune is now a temporary school :eek:..... Hope no one is hurt:(

barnicles

saw pics on rte there:eek::eek::eek::eek:

lostexpectation

mad pics on tv no deaths atleast

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/7623959.stm

they being very slow to say who's helicopter it is.

Steyr

N399BH Sikorsky S-76B

Pic here on Airliners.net http://www.airliners.net/photo/Barrack-Homes/Sikorsky-S-76B/1319566&tbl=photo_info&photo_nr=1&sok=WHERE__%28reg_%3D_%27N399BH%27%29_&sort=_order_by_photo_id_DESC_&prev_id=&next_id=NEXTID

A google search says she is/was owned by Barrack Aviation.

See here:http://www.aviongoo.com/aviongoo/faa_info.php?nnum=N399BH&ac_id=57822

tracker-man

any initial indication as to what caused the crash?

Victor

There has been some comment recently about US-registered aircraft based here and in the UK skimping on regulation.

Quality

tracker-man wrote: »

any initial indication as to what caused the crash?

Rumour has it he hit one of the lamp posts with his rudder and then went down... He was flying very low..

3 people in hospital, including the pilot. Thank god no one was killed..

Fair play to the emergency services who were on the scene in minutes..

jmayo

Victor wrote: »

There has been some comment recently about US-registered aircraft based here and in the UK skimping on regulation.

Now now, lets not start jumping to conclusions :cool:

Quality wrote: »

Rumour has it he hit one of the lamp posts with his rudder and then went down... He was flying very low..

3 people in hospital, including the pilot. Thank god no one was killed..

Fair play to the emergency services who were on the scene in minutes..

What, he caught the tail rotor ?

delly

My wife was out for a walk shortly before the crash about 5 miles from bettystown. When it flew over she looked up as it was making quiet a load noise. We're used to helicopters flying over, as we must be in a flight path or similar, but this was quiet a different sound than normal.

highlydebased

Its a miracle nobody was killed, it was a fireball within seconds

It was being operated by property developers I believe

EI-EAY

The IAA has new "Surveillance Procedures" for N reg'd aircraft operating in Ireland. See attached.

Quality

jmayo wrote: »

What, he caught the tail rotor ?

Yes the tail rotor... is what I am led to believe...

They removed the wreckage this afternoon...

Quality

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apQ0E0pnSdA

Here ya go...

Alanstrainor

:eek::eek::eek::eek:
Can't believe no one was seriously hurt after that!

BrianD

there was talk in the paper of the pilot attempting an emergency landing in the car park which is very close to the beach where it took off from earlier.

To me the video seem to portray a reasonably controlled landing that goes wrong?

Couple of aerial views of that car park in the papers and the car park is pretty small.

projectmayhem

BrianD wrote: »

To me the video seem to portray a reasonably controlled landing that goes wrong?

Obviously I'm guessing but the rotors could have easily snagged on something nearby (building, cables?) which sent the chopper off.

Looking at that though, it's a miracle no one was killed...

FOGOFUNK

That is ****ing mental.

You know what they say, "if its wings are travelling faster than its body, its probably not safe"-cod4

rogue.goofball

is it just me or is the video clip not working?

Wishbone Ash

rogue.goofball wrote: »

is it just me or is the video clip not working?

Working fine for me.

barnicles

It is for me

barnicles

God Almighty

sharkman

Victor wrote: »

There has been some comment recently about US-registered aircraft based here and in the UK skimping on regulation.

Tell me more !

Foggy43

It appears the helicopter dropped people off on the beach and the accident happened shortly afterwards.
I have no idea what the beach is like but what are the chances of picking up FOD (Foreign Object Damage) from sand or loose stones on the beach and doing some serious damage to engines, blocking filters or damaging fuel flow?

Just a thought!

electric69

FOGOFUNK wrote: »

That is ****ing mental.

You know what they say, "if its wings are travelling faster than its body, its probably not safe"-cod4

Good thing a helicopter doesnt have wings then, isnt it?


The S76 is a twin engine helicopter and is certified to operate in performance class 1 which basically means in the event of an engine failure it has sufficent power to continue its climb... he was clearly trying to land in the carpark which had clearance of 1/2 meter either side of the helicopter....tailrotor clipped a lampost and hence the uncontrolled yawing on the helicopter.

He was lucky to escape. The accident report should be very interesting to read. One would wonder if there are going to be any ramifications so as this sort of accident is prevented from happening again!!

Victor

sharkman wrote: »

Tell me more !

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=57307408&postcount=14

Aircraft owners / operators are primarily required to follow the rules of the country of registration.

It would appear that some US-registered aircraft are spending the vast majority of their time here or in the UK.

I understand some regulatory requirements are stricter here than in the US.

Hence, some aircraft that spend most of their time here are not following all Irish regulatory requirements.

Note most helicopters can't fly across the Atlantic.

I do not know if this applies in this case.

lostexpectation

reading pprune, oh he's one of the most experienced pilots in ireland, oh he's hero lets not jump to conclusion, he didn't have the right licence twat.

Victor

Landing in this car park doesn't sound like the best of ideas.

http://www.independent.ie/multimedia/archive/00204/chopper3_204366t.jpg

Victor

http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/1014/bettystown.html