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The pilot will remember his first helicopter lessons

April 26th, 1987 - Rubidoux, CA, USA - This Hughes 269b went out of control and collided with the ground during a take off to a hover. The pilot was learning to fly it. He was scheduled for his first flight lesson on the day of the accident. The instructor told the student pilot to wait for him and not to touch anything. While waiting for the flight instructor, the student pilot started the aircraft, ran it up to full rpm, and then began to increase the collective pitch control. The helicopter climbed vertically to a high hover and the pilot lost control. He received minor injuries.

Comments

Screddy Lee
Not casting aspersions, the pilot was a Middle-Eastern gentleman who'd just bought the craft and had zero-time in any rotorcraft. An instructor, who was with the owner, told the owner that he was going back to a hangar to get something for their flight and to not touch anything. The pilot nonetheless throttled up and applied collective to lift; unaware of the normal forces generated once off the ground and unable to counteract them correctly, the craft began to rotate wildly, struck tailboom first, rotated more and finally came to rest on its side after a spectacular rotor strike. The owner's friend came to the rescue, witnessing his egress and told the ownerto get away from the craft. Injuries, fortunately, were minor.
15th September, 2013
Will
(Canada)
Last thing he sid to his buddies before he took off was " Hey you guys, watch this "
18th January, 2011
Jeff
I'm sorry but I just can't resist saying "what a fu**'in idiot".
2nd December, 2010
mac
London (Uk)
this has to be the worlds funniest air disaster, just for the fact the man had no piloting experience, and thought he'd give it a try. very good.
19th April, 2010
Alex
(Usa)
I have seen a lot of dumb stuff in 20 years of aviation. I have never seen a helicopter owner do something like this. I hope the FAA suspended him for life from aviation. He was just damn lucky to be alive.
26th June, 2009
AL
Los Angeles (Usa)
I would have been to embarrassed to get out.
22nd January, 2008
Otto
Johannesburg (South Africa)
To mutch monney , to little braines
4th January, 2008
George B
Camas, Wa (Usa)
Just imagine having to tell your wife what you just did...
27th December, 2007
Carl Hackert
Saratoga Springs, Ny (Usa)
This has to be one of the dumbest things I've ever seen done in an aircraft of any type. The jerk bought the chopper and all he had to do was wait for the instructor! By some miracle, no one was hurt and no other aircraft were damaged.
12th November, 2007