Long Island Crash - Kite String?

[Neb Okla]

Witnesses reported seeing kite string wrapped around the heli.

http://news12.com/LI/topstories/article?id=118790

Could that even cause a heli to crash? I'd think that a kite string would
be easily broken... and even if it did wrap around a control area, I'd
think that the helicopter would have sufficient power to overpower the
string.


--
Michael Badnarik, Libertarian for President >>>>>
http://badnarik.org/?sid=32232

[Sla#s]

"Neb Okla" > wrote in message
...
> Witnesses reported seeing kite string wrapped around the heli.
>
> http://news12.com/LI/topstories/article?id=118790
>
> Could that even cause a heli to crash? I'd think that a kite string would
> be easily broken... and even if it did wrap around a control area, I'd
> think that the helicopter would have sufficient power to overpower the
> string.

There was a photo in Rotorbreeze years ago of a Bell 47 that got a kite
string wound round the mast. The pilot said he only just managed to get the
machine back down on the ground as the controls almost completely locked up.

Slatts

[Shiver Me Timbers]

> Sla#s > wrote:

> There was a photo in Rotorbreeze years ago of a Bell 47 that got a kite
> string wound round the mast. The pilot said he only just managed to get the
> machine back down on the ground as the controls almost completely locked up.

How long is a piece of string.

I've been told to go fly a kite a few times but it's been a long long
time since I actually flew one.

BUT..... If you had a kite a few hundred feet in the air even with a
thin and light line it would have to have some tensile strength.

If it got caught up in a tail rotor how long would it take to wrap up
a couple of hundred feet of kite line.

Imagine the person on the ground having it pulled out of their hand and
then a few seconds later watching a helicopter coming down fast.

Imagine the two people in the helicopter spending the last few seconds
of their lives trying desperately to figure out what the hell's going
on.

[Jim Carriere]

Shiver Me Timbers wrote:

>>Sla#s > wrote:
>
>
>>There was a photo in Rotorbreeze years ago of a Bell 47 that got a kite
>>string wound round the mast. The pilot said he only just managed to get the
>>machine back down on the ground as the controls almost completely locked up.
>
>
> How long is a piece of string.
>
> I've been told to go fly a kite a few times but it's been a long long
> time since I actually flew one.
>
> BUT..... If you had a kite a few hundred feet in the air even with a
> thin and light line it would have to have some tensile strength.

That and it quickly gets wrapped around several times, effectively
multiplying it's strength.

I wonder if they gave he kite back to the owner (I don't think I would)?

[SelwayKid]

"Neb Okla" > wrote in message >...
> Witnesses reported seeing kite string wrapped around the heli.
>
> http://news12.com/LI/topstories/article?id=118790
>
> Could that even cause a heli to crash? I'd think that a kite string would
> be easily broken... and even if it did wrap around a control area, I'd
> think that the helicopter would have sufficient power to overpower the
> string.

With the revolving parts in the mast and tail rotor, the string gets
wrapped very rapidly around the control links and its tensile strength
has little to do with it. Much like wrapping sewing thread around your
fingers to the point you can't move them.
It has happened more than once and caused crashes of helicopters.
Ol Shy & Bashful

[anon]

(SelwayKid) wrote in message >...
> "Neb Okla" > wrote in message >...
> > Witnesses reported seeing kite string wrapped around the heli.
> >
> > http://news12.com/LI/topstories/article?id=118790
> >
> > Could that even cause a heli to crash? I'd think that a kite string would
> > be easily broken... and even if it did wrap around a control area, I'd
> > think that the helicopter would have sufficient power to overpower the
> > string.
>
> With the revolving parts in the mast and tail rotor, the string gets
> wrapped very rapidly around the control links and its tensile strength
> has little to do with it. Much like wrapping sewing thread around your
> fingers to the point you can't move them.
> It has happened more than once and caused crashes of helicopters.
> Ol Shy & Bashful

I would be curious if it was mechanical. The owner of the ship is the
only rotorcraft school on long island, and has a history of building
ships out of other broken ships. The quality of his helicopters are
questionable. The owner also has a history of installing wrong parts
on other helicopters that have caused loss of life. Check the NTSB,
seems like alot of accidents in 5 years from one FOB.

4/20/2002
10/24/2002
Islip, NY
Robinson R-22
N8414H
Nonfatal
Part 91: General Aviation


8/5/2001
9/27/2001
Islip, NY
Robinson R22
N4066G
Nonfatal
Part 91: General Aviation


3/10/2001
7/30/2001
Islip, NY
Robinson R-22
N9077F
Nonfatal
Part 91: General Aviation


11/13/2000
7/2/2001
BABYLON, NY
Robinson R-22B
N25862
Nonfatal
Part 91: General Aviation


7/1/2000
12/18/2001
EAST NORTH PORT, NY
Robinson R-22B
N94RP
Nonfatal
Part 91: General Aviation


8/15/1999
11/2/2000
ISLIP, NY
Robinson R-22
N4066G
Nonfatal
Part 91: General Aviation


8/5/1999
6/22/2000
SHIRLEY, NY
Robinson R-22A
N8561K
Nonfatal
Part 91: General Aviation

4/15/1999
4/18/2001
PORT JEFFERSON, NY
Robinson R-22
N151RM
Nonfatal
Part 91: General Aviation
12/22/1996

3/31/1998
ISLIP, NY
Robinson R22 HP
N8414H
Nonfatal
Part 91: General Aviation