billionaires and Agusta Westland helicopters

Northern Ireland’s richest man, Lord Ballyedmond, was killed on an Agusta Westland AW139 on March 13th, 2014.



Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha died along with two members of his staff, on an Agusta Westland AW169 on October 2018


Kameron Cline and her billionaire father died on 6 July 2019 died when there Augusta Westland AW 1339 crashed into the ocean shortly after leaving their private island in a transit to Fort Lauderdale.

Fuel starvation?? enough fuel in the system for engine start and spooling up for takeoff but then find a fuel selector on an empty tank? Most helicopters don't have two fuel tanks and a crossfeed system. Water in the fuel?? Enough dry gas for engine start but then its trying to run an engine on water instead of fuel?

initial confusion over PIC being Painter, of West Palm Beach company or Jude, one of coal magnate's frequent pilots.

Bahamian law forbids night vfr flights. Therefore one either waits for daylight or flies with the transponder off and does not file a flight plan or contact ir traffic control.
Since search did not commence until after non-arrival at fort Lauderdale, it would appear that this was indeed a 2:00am takeoff with no transponder, no flight following, etc.
Jude's flights were usually daytime vfr.
Licenses don't matter. It is skills and current proficiency that counts.
Nighttime, moonless, starless ... difficult conditions.
High speed impact. Steep descent?

With no external references to show which direction is up, pilot's doubts have to be resolved by reliance on instruments despite strobe light induced doubt or abrupt head movement induced doubts.

It is the same as that Air France Paris de Rio flight wherein all that automation was defeated by a pilot who did not know how to fly.
The automation in the helicopter was useless when it is all turned off to evade the authorities and the pilots don't know to turn off running lights and strobes and to keep their heads still so as to avoid loss of spatial awareness or even full vertigo.

I am not a fan of helicopters. I enjoy flying and used to have my pilots license, but I have no interest in going in anymore helicopters. Our company has one and one of my bosses offered to let me use it for free if I wanted to get my license. i declined.

I guess you've heard that helicopter pilots don't fly, they just beat the air into submission.

I think you made a wise decision. Things have become too complex for part-timers or hobbyists.

Quote: DRich

I am not a fan of helicopters. I enjoy flying and used to have my pilots license, but I have no interest in going in anymore helicopters. Our company has one and one of my bosses offered to let me use it for free if I wanted to get my license. i declined.

Given that it costs hundreds of dollars an hour to operate a helicopter that was a very generous offer.

wreckage recovered, will be sent to Fort Lauderdale and thence to Fort Pierce. NTSB is now in charge of the investigation after Bahamian authorities informed the NTSB that the island lacked secure facilities to store the wreckage and all maintainance and training records were in Florida.
One of three recent lsu grads had become ill (systemic alcohol intoxication?) and was being flown to Fort Lauderdale, now they are all dead.

Locals said to have witnessed the crash and searched for three hours before being told the helicopter had arrived in Florida.
A later call from Florida reporting non-arrival rekindled the search. Deaths appear to have been upon high speed impact, possibly near inverted so any delay in the search would have been meaningless.

Pilots said to be experienced in both actual and simulated night flight over water, though not necessarily current in such situations.
Sleep/rest issues will certainly arise though its hard to say, 'i'll fly her to a hospital after I have eight hours of sleep'.

they left the lighted island and flew into a dark night. Most likely cause is spatial disorientation based on the location of the crash, but a mechanical issue is possible too.

Quote: kenarman

Given that it costs hundreds of dollars an hour to operate a helicopter that was a very generous offer.

Yes it was. he has his CFI and even offered me free instruction. It may have not been a 100% altruistic. I think he wants to have some backup pilots in the company to help follow their off-road racing trucks.

Quote: DRich

he wants to have some backup pilots in the company to help follow their off-road racing trucks.

THAT is dangerous. VFR at day probably, so its likely safe but currency is important.