Phoenix Helicopter Crash Animation

[deathorglory100]

the conclusion to plumber 97 and some1froum Yurp's arguments is the following: To be a professional pilot means that you first fly the damn machine then you report news etc. Channel 15 was "flying the news" and had tunnel vision. He was talking to the "fire bird" and so did not really give much thought to the saftey of those around him. It's bad enough that he paid the ultimate price for his stupidity but he also had to take the other pilots life...

[MartialHorror]

"This guy doesn't care what he hits." Ouch.

[chris319]

I work with TV news helicopters every day including the coverage of many, many pursuits. In my opinion one thing is clear: channel 15 pilot/reporter Craig Smith was too focused on watching the TV pictures and describing the action and not at all focused on where his ship was going. Four people plunging to their fiery deaths tells me the practice of having pilots report stories should be illegal. At our station the photog shoots and reports. The pilot flies the ship and that's all he does.

[plumber97]

@chris319 As a pilot I could not agree with you more. Its easy to say what a person should have done, but the sad reality is if you don't do what we tell you we will find someone who will.

[Swvmd]

The Ch 15 pilot was careless and reckless given that there were 5 other helicopters up in the same limited airspace. He seemed totally oblivious to the others and went barreling along as though he was the only one up there. The police chopper pilot whose job it was to actually shadow the suspect vehicle had to be concerned for his safety. It was an 'accident-waiting-to-happen' environment.

[bigjl73]

@ TurnOver360...idiot

[TurnOver360]

for me it looks like a terrorist act. The coming helicopter didn't even turn or brake.

[leandercool]

the blade went right trough the cocpit

[koulio02]

heyyyy !

it's an animation ! ;o)

[xr80rc51]

aweful! Poor guys.

[KoolCordell]

You could hear the sbc15's pilots death scream live on air it was horrifying.

[Airmanlov1]

I think the guy they were video taping stealing a truck should be somewhat responsible for there deaths. If he wasn't running from the Police the news choppers would not have been in that situation.

[thestrugglewithin]

@KellyDLovejoy

Good point, I didnt hink about it that way.

Tragic accident.

[notverycrucial]

Tragic.  Based on the graphic, I assume the ABC15 pilot was at fault since he was the one that ran into the back/side of the Channel 3 helicopter? Was it ever determined what exactly led to this?

[3fan4eva]

@notverycrucial The NTSB basically said both pilots were at fault. But it was very obvious even before this re-creation came out that 15 was at fault based on witness statements and reading the "official report"

[199markp]

Very tragic what happened, but that animation is amazing, especially the end.

RIP those on board.

[Some1fromYurp]

This is the exact reason why there should be no such thing as multi-tasking pilots!!

[plumber97]

@Some1fromYurp Pilots are always multi tasking. Its called piloting.

[Some1fromYurp]

@plumber97 In case you haven't figured it out yet, piloting an aircraft is just one task! And indeed it is a hands-on task that requires the pilot's full attention, especially in a helicopter. When you add other tasks, such as spotting events on the ground and calling in a live report (hence multi tasking) and all this in a busy airspace, mid-air collisions like this sadly do happen!

[plumber97]

@Some1fromYurp Its still a multi-tasking carreer and in case YOU have'nt figured it out I'm a helicopter pilot. We are payed to do more than just pilot an aircraft

[Some1fromYurp]

@plumber97 Well then mr. multi-skilled pilot, try not to get payed for too much at the same time, because as you can see above losing track of your surrounding airspace can be deadly!

[plumber97]

@Some1fromYurp Not multi-skilled just tired of listening to morons like you telling everyone how it should be. I fly guys like yourself all the time that thinks he can fly better, higher, and faster just because they've been in a heli a few times. Well guess what you have a couple thousand hours on a toilet too but it doesn't make you a plumber!

[Some1fromYurp]

@plumber97 Oh you don't need to listen to me! I was merely sharing the same conclusion as the aircrash investigation. But then again, who the hell is the NTSB to tell highly experienced pilots such as yourself how to do your job!

[plumber97]

@Some1fromYurp How are you supposed to read maps,switch radios, change transponer codes and various other things that is involved in piloting. An expert such as yourself could possibly tell me how to do this without taking your eyes from outside to inside? NTSB or not you can't always be looking outside the aircraft, it is also harder than you think to spot other aircraft against any backdrop especially a big city. He could have been looking straight ahead for all we know.

[Some1fromYurp]

@plumber97 I honestly believe it's safe to say that if the pilot of the Channel 15 helicopter would have been looking straight ahead his reaction wouldn't have been "OH JEEZ!" just as he was right on top of the Channel 3 helicopter. Secondly I never said a pilot should be looking outside at all times. I only concluded (as did the NTSB) that the total preoccupation of the Channel 15 pilot with the police chase on the ground was the main contributor to this horrible accident.

[plumber97]

@Some1fromYurp Have to dissagree with you on the he would have seen him part. My friend was killed in Zell Austria in march 07 in a head on crash that killed 8. They saw each other as reported then moments later hit. Just saying I've been looking straight out and had some near misses. I also will apologize for my tone whiskey and bad moods sometime lead to short temper on a touchy subject. I wish you all the best.

[Some1fromYurp]

@plumber97 No need for apologies, we'll just simply agree to disagree. So good luck and stay safe up there!

[extravirginclean]

Idiots, when you're high up there piloting a chopper or a plane, fear God, pray, and use all the practical knowledge u learned in using the instruments while respecting the laws of gravity.

[leventavan]

perfect

[itb222]

this is the first time I heard the coverage from the channel 3 chopper, I saw the Abc 15 coverage as the 15 chopper crashed into the 3 chopper. And saw all the other coverages from the other choppers.

[studionightbird0]

what a spectacular crash...but good god what a horrible accident. RIP to those on board I really mean it

[christianguitarist09]

good job with the animation. so sad what happened to them.

[djtomblack1971]

Jesus Maria:::!!!!