Minot Huey Emergency Landing

[SVFR]

What's the deal with the Huey emergency landing up at Minot? Slow news time? Typically you don't read about them and no fatalities still leaves a lot to the imagination:

https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2013/02/ap-minot-huey-makes-emergency-landing-north-dakota-022513/

[Breckey]

Because of this

Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs

2/25/2013 - MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- A U.S. military UH-1N Huey mishap occurred in McLean County at approximately 10:45 a.m. today.

Emergency responders have arrived on scene and are taking appropriate measures in response to this accident.

There were five people on board the aircraft and no reported fatalities. There are two reported minor injuries.

The accident is under investigation. Further details will be released as they become available.

emphasis mine

Edited February 26, 2013 by Breckey

[stract]

AFSEC is generating Class A SIB support, that's all I know.

[Breckey]

AIB is released (Link to Report)

BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. -- Air Force officials announced the results of a UH-1N helicopter accident investigation today.

The investigation into a Feb. 25, 2013 mishap near Minot Air Force Base, N.D., found clear evidence that the cause of the accident was due to a loss of tail rotor thrust following the failure of a driveshaft coupling. Lubricant starvation and contamination destroyed the gear teeth in the coupling, resulting in the loss of tail rotor thrust.

Approximately an hour into the flight, the crew from the 54th Helicopter Squadron heard a loud noise coming from the rear of the aircraft and felt an accompanying vibration. The pilot chose to make a precautionary landing in a snow-covered field.

During the approach to land, the helicopter lost tail rotor thrust about 100 feet above the ground. The pilot continued to autorotate - a procedure where the main rotor system turns by the action of air moving through the rotor rather than by engine power - to about 30 feet when he applied control inputs to level the aircraft and cushion the landing.

The helicopter's right rear skid impacted the ground first followed by the left skid. The aircraft continued to roll to the left until the main rotor blades struck the ground, coming to a rest on its left side.

The crew performed emergency shutdown procedures and exited the aircraft. Three crew members were injured as a result of the accident.

The mishap aircraft sustained major damage with a total loss valued at more than $2.3 million, but resulted in no civilian injuries or damage to civilian property.

[SchloemTheGnome]

AIB is released (Link to Report)

Thanks for posting this. I've been waiting to hear about this official report since the mishap took place.

[JarheadBoom]

Hate those shitty Bell grease couplings...

edit: clarification - I dealt with them for several years in the .civ world.

Edited December 24, 2013 by JarheadBoom

[Karl Hungus]

Surprised the AIB didn't find a way to fault the crew.

[Warrior]

It wasn't an amc crew?

[Ram]

It wasn't an amc crew?

https://instantrimshot.com/classic/?sound=rimshot

[Azimuth]

Why is it SOP to call the OG for approval to step?

[Breckey]

Because we are run by missileers and they want to micromanage every part of flying ops. FEW is required to brief the OG/CC for every flights risk assessment. We need OG/CC coord to fly 45 minutes away to do instruments

Welcome to Global Strike

Edited December 24, 2013 by Breckey

[Chuck17]

Because we are run by missileers and they want to micromanage every part of flying ops. FEW is required to brief the OG/CC for every flights risk assessment. We need OG/CC coord to fly 45 minutes away to do instruments

Welcome to Global Strike

For the life of me I can't figure out why missileers aren't taken seriously....

Chuck

[RTB]

Because we are run by missileers and they want to micromanage every part of flying ops. FEW is required to brief the OG/CC for every flights risk assessment. We need OG/CC coord to fly 45 minutes away to do instruments

Welcome to Global Strike

That would sap the fun out of things. What's an FEW?

[Breckey]

Airport code for FE Warren AFB.

[RTB]

Airport code for FE Warren AFB.

Thanks. Dumb question quota for the day now met.

[Cave_Pilot]

Because we are run by missileers and they want to micromanage every part of flying ops. FEW is required to brief the OG/CC for every flights risk assessment. We need OG/CC coord to fly 45 minutes away to do instruments

Welcome to Global Strike

If you think that's bad, try being a missileer... the micromanagement is even worse!

Edited December 25, 2013 by Cave_Pilot

[Azimuth]

Because we are run by missileers and they want to micromanage every part of flying ops. FEW is required to brief the OG/CC for every flights risk assessment. We need OG/CC coord to fly 45 minutes away to do instruments

Welcome to Global Strike

So then what's the point of filling out ORM if you have to brief the O-6 regardless?

[Breckey]

So they continue to exert their control over every aspect of flying ops. FE Warrens OG/CC thought that a Huey performing 180 autorotations (required to log an EP sortie) with the doors open was incredibly unsafe and wanted them to KIO. Transient rotorcraft need Wg/CC coord to file a PPR and PA wants to do a news blurb on them. This has happened twice so far.

The populous of missile bases have no idea how real AF bases work. We get noise complaints from people on base for flying Trans/EP sorties. FE Warren gets noise complaints from people living in base housing that was built underneath the APZ for their slide lanes. No joke, we've had people say that Malmstrom is the loudest AFB that they've ever been stationed at even though we only have Hueys and fly a few lines per day.

And you guys think that AMC is bad...

[Azimuth]

So they continue to exert their control over every aspect of flying ops. FE Warrens OG/CC thought that a Huey performing 180 autorotations (required to log an EP sortie) with the doors open was incredibly unsafe and wanted them to KIO. Transient rotorcraft need Wg/CC coord to file a PPR and PA wants to do a news blurb on them. This has happened twice so far.

The populous of missile bases have no idea how real AF bases work. We get noise complaints from people on base for flying Trans/EP sorties. FE Warren gets noise complaints from people living in base housing that was built underneath the APZ for their slide lanes. No joke, we've had people say that Malmstrom is the loudest AFB that they've ever been stationed at even though we only have Hueys and fly a few lines per day.

And you guys think that AMC is bad...

I'm from Cheyenne originally. A few years ago I talked to a young Huey copilot during an open house they had a FE Warren and he seemed pretty depressed about working for missileers. Hueys are probably no louder then the crazy wind or UP trains that run by the base constantly.

[SocialD]

Thanks. Dumb question quota for the day now met.

I wondered the same thing. I just assumed it was the helo version of a SOF.

If you think that's bad, try being a missileer... the micromanagement is even worse!

Or being in a Fighter Squadron with a deployed OG/CC who is an ABM!

The populous of missile bases have no idea how real AF bases work. We get noise complaints from people on base for flying Trans/EP sorties. FE Warren gets noise complaints from people living in base housing that was built underneath the APZ for their slide lanes. No joke, we've had people say that Malmstrom is the loudest AFB that they've ever been stationed at even though we only have Hueys and fly a few lines per day.

So after reading this, I thought how could I educate these people on what a real AFB sounds like. At first, I thought I could drop into FE Warren and beat up the pattern before I land for a gas and go.* Nothing says wake up like 29,000 lbs of thrust on a cold day. To be honest I had to Google where these bases were located. Malmstrom is right the fuck out thanks to some things that transpired on an airline trip a few years ago. Long story, but there is a lady of questionable morals (and looks) that may have a little SocialD running around. But anyway, after some careful research, turns out not every Air Force base has a runway...who knew?!?!?

*If they ever turn on X/C flying again.

[Breckey]

But anyway, after some careful research, turns out not every Air Force base has a runway...who knew?!?!?

Slight thread derail:

Malmstrom and FE Warren are the only two heliports in the Air Force but there is nothing in the airfield management regs concerning heliports, only runways. Our OSS does nothing for airfield management (or anything flying related) and this falls as an additional duty to one of our pilots. This becomes a problem when MAJCOM comes in for an inspection and hammers us with all of these downgrades for our heliport management (no FOD program, improper lights, taxi lines wrong, etc). This was never an issue in AFSPC and the helo squadrons did whatever was required to suit their needs, not necessarily within the airfield UFCs.

Most of our wing doesn't even believe that we have a flying mission and CE has been unwilling to provide support for the airfield maintenance since the runway was BRAC'd in 98. Luckily we had an airfield management MSgt from the ANG that came in and wrecked shop in the MSG and the OG that helped sort some things out.

Since the Montana ANG is transitioning to C-130s they're looking at using part of the shutdown runway as an assault strip and opening an old DZ on base. Needless to say the OG is not happy but they can't do anything about it. I can't wait for them to be doing NVG assault landings and the base populous bitching about the four fans of freedom interrupting their Wheel of Fortune. Even better if one breaks down and they have do do engine runs for hours on end.

Edit:

Long story, but there is a lady of questionable morals (and looks) that may have a little SocialD running around.

Too many fishbowls at the Sip N' Dip?

Edited December 26, 2013 by Breckey

[stract]

FE Warrens OG/CC thought that a Huey performing 180 autorotations (required to log an EP sortie) with the doors open was incredibly unsafe and wanted them to KIO.

You guys still do 180 autos? We haven't had that requirement for years (straight ahead and low altitude autos for us).

By doors open, do you mean the cabin doors or cockpit doors? Either way, that's what gunners belts and 5-pt harnesses are for...

The AIB President is a 60 guy by trade, maybe he did a little helo education with your OG while he was there.

Edited December 26, 2013 by stract

[SchloemTheGnome]

You guys still do 180 autos? We haven't had that requirement for years (straight ahead and low altitude autos for us).

By doors open, do you mean the cabin doors or cockpit doors? Either way, that's what gunners belts and 5-pt harnesses are for...

The AIB President is a 60 guy by trade, maybe he did a little helo education with your OG while he was there.

Technically 90 and 180 degree turning autorotations are not "required" to log an EP Sortie, but they are "Desired" per the UH-1 Vol 1. Regardless, it's common practice to knock out at least one of each auto during a typical EP Sortie.

[Jaded]

EP sortie? Seriously?

[Hodor]

They're helicopters, so yes. Seriously.