. . . to go with the one we shared this morning, how about this one? A Greek AH-64 Apache attack helicopter flew into the Aegean Sea yesterday. Amazingly, the crew survived.
I suspect the pilot tried to perform a maneuver without having enough airspeed or height to complete it. That'll be expensive . . . and possibly career-ending as well.
Peter
Ooopsie. That darn lake just jumped up and grabbed that poor chopper...
ReplyDeleteHmmmmmmm.
ReplyDeleteThe pilot is worth far more than his aircraft, Pete. They both came in at the same speed, and so low that there was zero room for error or mechanical failure. From an administrative angle, my beef would be with the officer that ordered them to do that.
That'll buff out nicely, squire. :)
ReplyDeleteGlen, it is unlikely in the extreme he was ordered to do that. It was what is called in Naval Aviation "flat hatting." An Army aviator did the same thing in the Rock Pile, except in the snow, and the result was the same. He was too low when he began to get his nose up and his downward momentum carried him into the water. Fortunately, both crews survived. Either of the pilots could have been at the stick as the gunner, up forward, can also fly the aircraft.
ReplyDeleteWhoever was flying his wings are attached, as we used to say over at Neptunus Lex, with explosive bolts. IIRC, the Army Aviator at the stick in the Rock Pile lost his wings for flat hatting.