“LR” told us about an unusual aviation incident that occurred on the Monument fire in southern Arizona on June 25. Here is an excerpt from a “June 26, 2011 – Evening Update” that was on InciWeb:
Yesterday, a highly unusual incident occurred involving a Heli-tanker assigned to the incident, when a snorkel swung into the chin bubble on the co-pilot’s side of the aircraft, breaking the plexiglass bubble. The helicopter landed safely and there were no injuries.
We searched for that update on InciWeb and found lots of other updates, but had no luck finding that one, leading us to believe it has been removed. But, diligent searching found at least two copies of it on other sites, HERE and HERE. In case it disappears again, here is a copy of it from KBRP radio. Click it to enlarge:
We were not able to find either on SAFENET or SAFECOM a report that fit this description.
In 2009 we posted a good annotated photo of an Erickson Air-Crane that has a view of the “chin” and the snorkle. The only way we can think of that a snorkle would swing up and break a window on the helicopter would be for the pilot to hit the “brakes” really hard, decelerating rapidly. Maybe a pilot can give us some more insight into how this could occur.
The photo of the heli-tanker below was taken June 22, 2011 on the Monument fire. It appears to be a highly unusual drop onto the vertical face of a cliff as the helicopter probably made a sharp, banking turn. A video or series of still photos of that maneuver would be priceless. It makes you wonder if the broken chin bubble occurred three days later on this helicopter.
On June 22, 2011 on the same fire an incident involving a heli-tanker and an air tanker resulted in a SAFECOM being filed. It concerned a heli-tanker being in the general area where an air tanker was about to make a drop. The heli-tanker was actually ABOVE the flight path of the air tanker. It was not a close call, apparently, but the heli-tanker pilot had to be told to stay the frack out of the way of the air tanker.
Hmmm. Three, uh, unusual incidents on the Monument fire within a four-day period involving one or more heli-tankers. Hopefully a fourth incident, if it occurs, will also be injury-free.
Thanks “LR”
It appears warmer air convecting upward along the cliff, abetted by fire generated heat, created strong updrafts that drew water droplets from the drop toward the cliff face and upward. The upper left of the droplet cloud appears to be lifted above the flight level. There appear to be larger “clumps” of water falling vertically, suggesting little lateral inertia, which might have happened had the pilot intended to “throw” water toward the cliff. The sharp outline on the left side of the cloud appears to show the boundary between the droplet cloud and hotter, rising air (which may also evaporate some water.) A video showing the motion and speed of droplets, and smoke within the rising air, would be interesting.
It really is an impressive photo but I think that there may be an optical illusion involved and the helo is farther sway from the cliff than the eye suggests.
Yes it is an impressive photo. I have seen similar drops made with a bucket a few years ago. Some times a telephoto shot distorts the real distance.
I try not to second guess pilots, knowing most will not exceed the boundries of their skills and capabilities of the aircraft.
Most of the time it’s fire fighter on the ground or air attack asking them to drop in a location and they try hard to hit the right spot.