Second helicopter crash test

[Thewickedjunglist]

Wow, expecting scrap metal.

[thewaterfalloflove]

In the recent video of the pilot who survived a crash while trying to set up a Christmas tree, why did the tail of the helicopter snap off while still in the air? Is that by design or a flaw?

[NASALANGLEY]

@thewaterfalloflove Good question. We have a call into one of our researchers and will hope to have an answer soon.

[vassdel]

@thewaterfalloflove If you look carefully on that video, you will see the main rotor hitting a hanging cable. The cable was wrapped around the revolving rotor hub and mast, bringing the rotor to a complete and violent stop. This created a massive spinning force, wich along with the vibrations caused by the dissolving rotor, forced the tail boom to bend. The tail shaft was spinning with more than a thousand RPM and was doomed to snap off.

So, not a design, nor a flaw. Just Neutonian physics...

[vassdel]

What was the initial helicopter height?

What was the VVI showing at the momoent of the crash?

What was the maximum G's attained?

Thank you in advance for the info (a concerned helicopter pilot...)

[vassdel]

... moment I ment...

[NASALANGLEY]

@vassdel Helicopter height was 35 feet. The flight path angle was about 33 degrees and the combined forward and vertical speeds were about 48 feet per second or 33 miles per hour. Have to doublecheck G forces and get back to you.

[MrBJC1996]

If this was a fairground ride, i'd go on it!

[NASALANGLEY]

@MrBJC1996 Choose the first helicopter drop test with the deployable energy absorber - a lot more survivable!

[MrBJC1996]

@NASALANGLEY hahaha dont worry, I will!! XD

[9493760]

WOULD ATTACHING SHOCKS FROM BOTTOM OF COPTER TO LOWER SKID HELP? REBOUND COULD BE CONTROLLED BY LOCKING SHOCKS TO ONLY ACCEPT IMPACT , NOT RECOIL IT . IT WOULD SAVE BREAKING OF HINGED SKIDS . AND THE FULL BODY IMPACT . RESULT.

GIANFRANCO FRONZI SEPTEMBER /2/2011

[campstrat]

he forgot to flare

[hunter53able]

i thought it spins around when it crashes like call of duty this is fake shit

[shadowhunter388]

@hunter53able Call of duty is fake shit.

[hunter53able]

@shadowhunter388 this is even faker dude call of dudy is like real life and zombies wered in ww2 duh? dumbass

[shadowhunter388]

@hunter53able dumbass.

[MistarCrewsz]

@hunter53able LOL Wait till' your 17th B-day to play Call of Duty little boy, it's rated M for MATURE.

[lastxp]

The more safety features added the more the weight. In a fatal crash no amount of safety gear will help.

[Dreama40]

what a bunch of dummies.

[RotorHead2652]

Lol the dummy sitting in the pilot seat , yess ive just been in a crash , i think ill just get my head down on my collegues shoulder lol

[ShenFromTerraTraba]

The seats appear to be completely rigid, is there any crushability in them or cushion, like on a big rig?

[MTXaudio100]

ill be honest with you all,, i think the crash will be way more dangerous because if theyre really flying they have the propellers to worry about swinging verry violent and it all depends on how high theyre in the air but good wreck thoo...

[stickicky1]

I live across the river in Titusville. Have you also considered the hazard of rotor blade intrusion into the cockpit as this is also one of the most dangerous phenomenon from an uncontrolled touch down?

[raginh8r]

Did you see the expression on that dummy's face when they impacted the ground? He was like, "WTF!"

[Piddlepack]

Spent 4 years at Langley AFB, 94FS and always loved checking out the NASA side.

[chopperpilotgod]

I fly a Robinson R-44 Raven I. The seats absorb energy as do the skids and I can tell you its a really nice helicopter to fly and with all the new safety systems, should do well in this crash test. How well I dont really know. I fly both Robbies and find them to have nice full down characteristics. No hard landigs should develop if auto's are done correctly or near correctly. Nice to see the NASA boys trying to improve the rotor community's safety. Thanks fella's.

[5959512]

would a shock absorption system under the seats be helpful?

[yumaokamoto]

Helicopters are impossible to eject from. But what if so made it so before you eject straight up, you make the blades release. Of course this is for like war. You can't release blades into a city lol.

[103dingdong]

@yumaokamoto this aleready exists on the eurocopter tiger i beleive, if no its the kamove black shark, the blades "pop" off before ejection

[MitsuomiTakayanagiEC]

to add something to the system NASA are testing I feel that harnesses might be beneficial rather than the lap strap only plus it seems that the seats might benefit from a shock absorbing system as well as under the fuselage

[nexusutube]

For those of you saying this isn't a realistic crash. Vortex Ring states could crash like this or if there's engine failure and the pilot doesn't autorotate properly it would fall that way.

[kbuwerks]

Hmmm spinal snapped...

[TheModerndaymartyrs]

Nasa gets to do all of the fun stuff.

[huxev17]

aww this is not cool

that hell should have went soi-soi-soi-soi-soi first, not like this 'release,bang!' method lolololol soisoisoisoisoi

[huxev17]

heli* =.=

[pendejadafcc]

NASA is such a waste of everything

[REman07]

@pendejadafcc I wish you dummies would shut up.  Maybe we should use you as a crash dummy...pendejo

[nmackara]

u guys are a waste of MONEy

[nawitus]

Yeah, all safety research of waste money, as there's no economic loss when educated working people die in crashes. You can simply get new replacements for those people magically.

[TheKillerKlok]

wow... look at the dummy's  head bounce off of the ceiling at 0:44

[X0Pete]

Isn't a helicopter, when crashing usually out of control? Like flying around?

[ethugx]

@X0Pete yea that's exactly what I said. How is THIS crash going to help them learn anything? this would never happen in real life.

[REman07]

@ethugx Just because you're dumb doesnt mean the test is worthless

[Helicopterpilot16]

@X0Pete It looks to be a hard autorotation landing!

[MitsuomiTakayanagiEC]

@X0Pete if the tail rotor gets damaged then this will happen for sure but the forces on impact should still be the same so there is no need for nasa to test it while adding spin to it plus it would make recording the results 100 times harder

[103dingdong]

@X0Pete it all depends on how its crashing my friend,

if the tail rotor has failed to do its jop then yes, the helicopter would spin around,

but if the engine fails and you autorotate, but you are losing altitude quickly, then no, it would go in a pretty much straight line if you were controling it

[MistarCrewsz]

@X0Pete Yeah what if the helicopter was way higher and got hit and went down? I'm sure it'd flip over the Soldiers die in little helicopter crashes either way but it doesn't happen too much cause' it's a small target.

[ethugx]

How is this going to help you? In a real life helicopter crash, the helicopter would be spinning and would fall at a greater impact than this. This was a controlled test and it fall straight down literally.

[Kirov686]

@ethugx You've seen too many movies, buddy. Helicopters only spin and crash when they have a problem with the tail rotor. It is more common for someone to crash in forward flight.

[DeStRvCt10N]

Lol.

The aftermath is a lot different when you have a tank full of gas. Besides, the impact of that heli crashing from only 30 feet (at best) could still seriously injure the pilots and crew. Only 30 feet...and most helicopter crashes will take a freefall or 100 feet at least.

These guys need to go back to the drawing board. lol

[nawitus]

You have to start somewhere.

[supergalunk]

..black hawk with clipped wings down... that would be a shattered spinal column..

[gvi341984]

poor dummies

[thatonebeone]

i wonder if some sort of air bag thing could help with the crash or the dummies..

[NASALANGLEY]

@thatonebeone We did a previous crash test that tested an energy absorbing system sort of like an airbag, but a honeycomb cushion You can find it on the NASALANGLEY channel.

[baloneyjazz]

@thatonebeone I think the airbag in front thing (like a car) isn't going to help. The strike is from the bottom (not he front like a car). I figure if the seats could elevate before impact and then give a longer cushion it might reduce injury.

Or the landing struts. That seems like a no brainer. Why not have them take up more of the impact. Perhaps have them another foot longer and have them bring the speed down smoothly rather than just snap.

[103dingdong]

@baloneyjazz that is a great idea mate, but helicopters are designed and tested , including skids, adding another inch could knock it off balance while stationary or in the air, a better solution would be to put suspension into the shafts on the bottom of the body

[NASALANGLEY]

Results are still being assessed, but the injuries to the dummies in this test were quite severe, possibly spine crushing or even fatal.

[fresnosmooth2000]

@NASALANGLEY is there a way to mount the skids so it translates the downward energy into more forward energy. Like the mounts swept toward the rear and skids yield toward the tail instead of out to the sides?  (I'm sure it's been thought of but - thought I'd add my $.02)

All the best- J

[l1998]

poor dummies !!! :*(

[conejito631]

what about if you turning and hit one zise or fall 2 the side??

[NallePu83]

Black Hawk Down...We got a Black Hawk Down

[Kevinkim7]

@NallePu83 HAHAHA LAWL LOL HAHAHA

[GirlSlutty7882]

hhaha yeah i like it rough... lol!~

[sirpigg]

the dummies were pronounced dead upon impact.

[UDONTKNOWMEPEAPLE]

@sirpigg Lol ur the dummy

[bhsarc]

It appeared the landing skid suspension was too soft. he seats did not start collapsing until the bottom of the heli hit the ground. The seats then collapsed quicker than they would have if the gear had been a bit stiffer. JMHO.

[robpaton686]

Sooo... to have a successful crash landing it must be on concrete? Yeah, I can dig it - or not.

[TrollisimusMaximus]

did they dieded?

[ronalderik]

did he died??? Uhh?

[jmb765]

Survivability / Durability is definitely the most major concern in rotor aircraft. However, I would consider the second largest concern to be fuels. Gases. Location of gases in the aircraft during impact. I would advise taking measures to circumvent fuel threats to the occupants. If your tank is located below the cockpit, you have a major problem if a crash such as this one occurs. Even if the helicopter survives, will the tanks survive? Consider different locations for fuel.

[jmb765]

I can see why you would consider this a "potentially survivable" crash. However, what about the fuel tanks? Where are they located? How many gallons does it hold? How many tanks are there? How many different locations can you put a fuel tank on your model? I think gasoline should probably be the most important issue AFTER you figure out how to make the craft more survivable. Sure, the helicopter might survive a ground impact during an auto-rotation scenario such as this one.

[snakesinmypants]

they should install an airbag for you butt.

[INeverDie99]

lol

[hpygolkyone]

When was the last time you saw a helicopter crash like this?? Usually they have lost the rear rotor and are spinning like a frakking top in the air....at the same time they are dropping like a stone! Or, when they hit the ground, they fall sideways and the spinning rotors hit the ground throwing shit...and people....and people parts flying everywhere. Results of this test: all occupants, who once had 3' spinal columns, now have 12" spinal columns....OUCH!

[santoro2020]

This is better than nothing :)

[srLok0]

no blood? :(

[1019drummer]

My fav helecopter,great vidio....thanks for posting

[ncktbs]

easiest fix put in the seat that semis use

[45means45]

What is nasa doing with helicopters?

[NASALANGLEY]

Thanks all for commenting. The idea behind this crash test was that it replicated a relatively severe but potentially survivable crash. That takes into account auto-rotation. As one of our engineers said we could have dropped the helicopter from the top of the gantry, but then all we would have had were pieces to pick up .. but not much useful data.

[POOLGUY21]

I understand the concept of this test,, but I noticed , that the test only really takes in account the conditions of a perfect world , meaning there is no wind shear , and that the pilot isn't in a controlled landing. from my experience with going offshore, working oil and gas, so taking a chopper out , the wind is always blowing, the tail pushing to the side, and any pilot will tell you a little bit of wind is good, I just honestly see this type of crash happening, I see a far worse scenario

[ProPandaXD]

@NASALANGLEY no life!!

[Kevinkim7]

@NASALANGLEY cant they do these on computer now a days???? like car companys use computer for test crashes

[NASALANGLEY]

That's another reason we do tests like these ... to improve the computer models.

[kopjesenseo]

@NASALANGLEY  can anybody survive sush impact??

looks horrible everyting bends

[teemuruskeepaa]

@NASALANGLEY Hi NASA =)

[alandshawni]

Millions put into this test, just to find out what we all knew. Your ass will get hurt if your helicopter falls out the sky. Good work geniuses!

[jeffstudbum]

Yeah, those dumb engineers and technicians trying to improve safety. What were they thinking, right?

[santoro2020]

Yeah and you will probably be kissing their ass if that 5% chance or whatever aircraft (plane, heli, etc) crash lands and you live

[philly1537]

only if we could get every crash like this

[ItsFatSantaa]

did he died?

[darkside97]

did they die ?

[Devastationable]

accelerator were stuck and brake not working they died :(

[muibadah]

At such a height and speed, it doesn't give much data. But as such, the helicopter isn't something you want to crash in that's for sure...

[7Greyfox7]

This is awesome. You guys are BOSSES.

[Blue387]

Very nice.

[signedadam]

Wow! If only it was up and flying!! lol