Tragic Helicopter crash in Norway

[kerryxeg]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-36169929

Terrible news

[Danny T30TUS]

Such a shame.

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[van cleef]

Terrible news. My heart goes out to the families.

[tut]

Looks as if the complete rotor head may have detached as opposed to just a blade.

Either way it would be terminal.

tut

[captain]

Seems the whole super puma fleet has been grounded?

[foz01]

Some more info here, entire rotor head disconnected

Horrible, RIP!

http://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/578298 ... way-2.html

[Ferg]

The video of the rotor set falling to the ground is horrible. Poor folk.

[tut]

Just saw the video on the News, complete rotor head and blades spinning down.

Seen many occasions of a blade detaching but never a complete rotor head. Even as a pilot, I would think twice of climbing into one again. In fact I used to hate travelling as a pax when I had to.

tut

[Mr Momo]

The rotor head unit falling like a sycamore seed - shocking.

Deepest sympathies to all affected by this tragedy.

[tut]

Autorotation in the worst possible way.

tut

[istoo]

terrible news
An odd connection in that I am also Iain Stuart, 41 from the Aberdeen area.

[Scuffers]

Just saw the video on the News, complete rotor head and blades spinning down.

Seen many occasions of a blade detaching but never a complete rotor head. Even as a pilot, I would think twice of climbing into one again. In fact I used to hate travelling as a pax when I had to.

tut

last time this happened was when the ring gear failed in the epicyclic, (G-REDL).

What I don't understand is how a gearbox failure can result in the rotor-head detaching? the rotor-head loads are supported from the airframe, not the gearbox (via 3 struts).

[Mr Momo]

Is it to do with the gearbox seizing and the rotor shaft continuing to rotate = shaft shearing ?

[Scuffers]

Is it to do with the gearbox seizing and the rotor shaft continuing to rotate = shaft shearing ?

if that were the case, unless the shaft shears above the main thrust bearing, it's still attached to the copter.

from the pics, the whole rotor-head/shaft/etc are still attached, basically, everything above the gearbox.

(sure I read somewhere that if the gearbox craps out, the rotor can freewheel? may have been rubbish though)

[kerryxeg]

I believe Eurocopter have a press release coming out today.