Helicopter Crash in Killucan Westmeath

cson

https://www.midlands103.com/news/midlands-news/serious-helicopter-crash-in-the-midlands/

Local news reporting multiple fatalities.

artanevilla

There's an R44 currently circling the area.

Larbre34

Thats dreadful news. Thoughts are with those affected.

LambshankRedemption

The incident took place this afternoon in Killucan in Joristown when a helicopter struck a building.

Jesus, this could be serious.

BringBackMick

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122445594#Comment_122445594

headed back to Weston now

FrancieBrady

Hit a farm building apparently. Pictures online, I won't post them here.

shamrocka330

Reported that there are 2 dead. Flightradar24 shows the aircraft circling close the crash site, climbing and descending and then descending very fast.

Be right back

On playback, the flight was very erratic..

tohaltuwi

https://www.flightaware.com/live/flight/N57NC

Track of fatal flight. RIP

tohaltuwi

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122445727#Comment_122445727

Horrible pic indeed 🥲

tohaltuwi

it was based in Utah before coming to Weston

joeymcg

En route to Galway Races ?

EchoIndia

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122445784#Comment_122445784

Is that not the usual "trustee" arrangement whereby thousands of N-reg aircraft based outside the US are registered to various US banks or other companies? The crashed aircraft was previously registered in Malta as 9H-NIN.

tohaltuwi

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122445773#Comment_122445773

A lot of ups and downs, like inspections of land / photography etc.

tayto lover

RIP to the deceased. Awful tragedy.

Mech1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122445821#Comment_122445821

Or lack of proper control?

Mech1

Not looking consistent with controlled flights that I have seen previously so when I say lack of control I'm thinking technical issues.

tohaltuwi

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122445859#Comment_122445859

That’s possible, course was very straight for a while leading up to final descent. I took a few chopper lessons (did fixed wing) and during training flights there were dozens of ascents and descents, and autorotations. A major hazard was overhead wires which could be extremely difficult to identify.

EchoIndia

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122445821#Comment_122445821

Or pilot training/practice?

Mech1

Or sudden incapacity of captain and passenger trying there best? Supposition only of course.

Mech1

No idea if dual controls fitted in type, just my thoughts.

EchoIndia

Little point in speculating here, especially when even the most basic information is not known.

tohaltuwi

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122445883#Comment_122445883

One thing about chopper flying, it is difficult for an inexperienced student to handle a chopper until a lot of muscle memory gets built in. Fixed wing is much more instinctual.

tohaltuwi

Re autorotation practice, this is how fast it needs to be handled, what limited time you have to assess ground. That beeping sound is something you want to avoid, it means the rotor is approaching stall.

https://youtu.be/FaWjpLZVIJg?feature=shared

bnt

You can see the helicopter's flight history on FlightRadar24. It did approximately the same flight along the M4 this morning and at least seven 15 min hops around Weston yesterday. The National Flight Centre Pilot Academy does helicopter training there, starting on the R44 type mentioned above.

tohaltuwi

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122445955#Comment_122445955

I did a wee bit of training on the R22, years ago, trying to locate the certificate but have the place in chaos lol! I actually started getting air sick with the up-down-up-down pattern. Engine stops, push full collective down immediately, use cyclic to maintain 60 knots, flare, touch down in a skidding motion, climb again to 1500ft approx, rinse & repeat.

Hippodrome Song Owl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122445955#Comment_122445955

I live beside Weston. I actually looked it up on FlightRadar yesterday as it seemed to be in and out a lot, so I thought it might be training.

RIP to those killed and thoughts with their families.

tohaltuwi

nice machine, it was

sparrowcar

Schools and colleges are off so hopefully this thread can remain adult and civil.

wildwillow

Unfortunately I know one of the men involved. Went to school with my son. My thoughts are with his family and speculation as to the cause can wait.

tohaltuwi

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122446636#Comment_122446636

So sorry, may he rest in peace, this is so very sad for you, 🥲

Rows Grower

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122446636#Comment_122446636

Sorry for your loss to you, your son and everyone else that knew the deceased.

A shocking tragedy, may they rest in peace.

Tenger

Quite the tragedy. Very sad for the families of thise involved.

https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2024/07/30/two-men-have-died-in-helicopter-crash-in-co-westmeath/

GavPJ

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122446012#Comment_122446012

I live and work in Enfield and it had been out and about over here on Monday.

Flying low in and around Longwood and Clogherinkoe in Kildare. I think it came

close to landing in Longwood. The odd chopper flies in and out of Moyvalley Hotel

so I thought it was one of those.

RIP to both men.

tohaltuwi

Witness reports are useful in such cases but witness interpretations are not unless they are already very familiar with aviation. Interpretations of “ loud engine” sounds, “failures” or “surges” can be mistaken, add to that in a helicopter the sounds of the main rotor versus the engine.

AMKC

Very sad for the families of the 2 men lost in this Tragedy. May they Rest in Peace.

Does the Helicopter have a back box or are that still not fitted with them?

tohaltuwi

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122448562#Comment_122448562

they don’t typically have Black Boxes in the way commercial airliners do, but this helicopter is very advanced technologically and will have data records that will give a very good indication of the parameters during the flight, and flights before. I’ve no doubt they will find most of the factors leading to the very sad outcome.

tohaltuwi

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-41446909.html

Examiner reports a witness observing the aircraft coming down quickly, bouncing and then hitting building. AAIU appealing on Twitter/X for any footage and reports.

EchoIndia

Preliminary report is now out. The image contained in the report itself of the impact point is striking - the aircraft must have hit very hard and then bounced.

https://aaiu.ie/aaiu_report/preliminary-report-accident-involving-a-bell-textron-canada-505-jet-ranger-x-helicopter-n57nc-that-occurred-near-killucan-co-westmeath-ireland-on-30-july-2024-at-1425-hrs-report-2024-006/

GavPJ

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122555720#Comment_122555720

Weston wouldn't be far from where I work and I had noticed this helicopter

flying over and back over our building, I watched it a few times on Flightradar 24

trying to figure out who it was and what they were doing after I'd noticed them

dropping to a low level then back up. Only now I realise it was them practicing

autorotation.