You mention turning to the left - either he didn't know where they were, or he thought he could clear the mountains - faulty altimeter? OR other mechanical issues.. I know we decided the "sounds" didn't matter much, but witnesses DID mention it sounded like it was struggling.. Which makes me think of THIS previous experience:
A T-38 crashed nearby doing touch and gos a year or two ago.. The guys in flight school here wanted me to edit the cockpit video from the T-38 for them - it was cockpit/HUD video from the T-38 that crashed during touch n goes.. Keep in mind the T-38 has two engines..
Ok, so the plane is touching down and all is well.. they are about to gun it again to take off (doing touch n goes).. when the pilot guns the throttle, the T-38 veers violently to the right, right off the runway, the pilots says, "what the hell?" and the camera goes completely haywire and then completely black..
What happened was the pilot gunned the throttle to take off.. the right engine flamed out, but the left engine worked properly - causing the T-38 to veer violently off the side of the runway on the right and crash.. both pilots ejected - only one survived.. and I got to edit the video.. So...
Doesn't this helicopter have two engines? Wondering if he "gunned" it to climb up above the clouds, the left engine flamed out, the right pushed him to the left, out of control, descent, crash..
Sounds good in theory, but I don't know the engine configuration on that copter - if its even set up similarly.. If it is, and they determine that to be the cause, just remember I guessed it first..
Friendship is like peeing your pants.. Everybody can see it, but only you can feel the warmth..
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/28/2020 03:07PM by sstrams.