We lost two local LEO's when their R44 went down the other night.
Lots of unanswered questions down here.

WAFB new report on crash

I often saw that helicopter over the city, but never really saw much news about it, or the officers running it. This is a tragic loss. It’s hard to imagine that the BRPD wasn’t aware of its loss after 8 hours.

Missing for 8 hours? Relative tracked the cellphone? BRPD has some explaining to do?

Sounds like the tail rotor hit a tree, no where near the landing sight, en route. It was middle of the night flying.

There was a bad police chopper crash in WI 15+ years ago, hit a higher hill at night, returning.

I would think they would be familiar with the area, if not an aviation chart or map. Having adequate terrain/obstruction clearance at night critical, can’t rely on see & avoid.

Yes, already said it was middle of the night flying, no matter how you try to adjust your sleep schedule, still tough. RIP officers.

Maybe some of our SF pilots can tell something from the track.

Flightaware that morning

My question for the department and ATC for that matter is how did you lose contact with a police air unit for 8 hours?

Are there not frequent check ins for status and location? How about a "hey, anyone heard from AIR 1 in a while?" at maybe 5am.

I'm not a pilot but from Charlie12's Flightaware data I can see that.

They took off from KBTR airport at 0226 CDT maintained around 50-100kts and 400-700ft altitude in route to LA46 airport (single strip) that is noted as arriving at 0238CDT. That indicates they were in the air for only 12 minutes. Prior to crossing the LA46 airport at 02:37:51 they decended from 1,125 to 1100ft at 89kts heading 359.

The flight path looks pretty normal until they get to the LA46 airport. At that point they continue past the SW end of the runway on track for about a mile then turned 180 and do a figure 8 before the flight path terminates west of the end of the runway at LA46. Last contact was at 02:38:08 showing 1,300ft at 30kts heading 217. In the last 17 seconds of flight they dropped 63 knots and while climbing to 1300 ft.

quote:

Originally posted by Rightwire:
My question for the department and ATC for that matter is how did you lose contact with a police air unit for 8 hours?

Are there not frequent check ins for status and location? How about a "hey, anyone heard from AIR 1 in a while?" at maybe 5am.

The tower at Baton Rouge is closed between 12-5 am. One big question is why didn't BRPD know their helicopter and Officers hadn't gotten back to the airport and secured from that flight.

Helicopters are able to operate at a range of speeds that most (looking at you mojojojo ) fixed wing pilots can only dream of. This allows helicopter pilots to operate in conditions that would ground fixed wing aviation. With the increased capability comes increased risk. It is a terrible loss, doing dangerous work.

As for BRPD being unaware for 8 hours, it might not have made any difference to the crew, but either their procedures for tracking their assets suck pondscum and need to be revisited or someone dropped the ball.

quote:

Originally posted by slosig:

As for BRPD being unaware for 8 hours, it might not have made any difference to the crew, but either their procedures for tracking their assets suck pondscum and need to be revisited or someone dropped the ball.

No excuse for being out of communication for that long . None . For a family member to have to initiate the search is unacceptable .

RIP officers. Always a sad affair.

flashguy

quote:

Originally posted by honestlou:
I often saw that helicopter over the city, but never really saw much news about it, or the officers running it. This is a tragic loss. It’s hard to imagine that the BRPD wasn’t aware of its loss after 8 hours.

Louis, I have alerts set on Flightaware that emailed me when they had a flight. They had a good many night flights with all the crime we have in BR. But there is no excuse that dispatch didn't know where they were that whole time. Mor of BRPD screw ups we're dealing with.

NTSB report gives timeline, details of fatal BRPD helicopter crash

by: Keymonte Avery
Posted: Apr 12, 2023 / 03:23 PM CDT
Updated: Apr 12, 2023 / 03:25 PM CDT

PORT ALLEN, La. (BRPROUD) — The National Transportation Safety Board released a preliminary report revealing more details of the helicopter crash that killed two BRPD officers on March 26.

Sgt. David Poirrier, 47, and Cpl. Scotty Canezaro, 38, were identified as the fallen officers. They were in the helicopter assisting in a police chase after a suspect when the crash happened.

Federal report gives timeline of crash

2:26 a.m. — According to the NTSB, the helicopter left the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport around 2:26 a.m. to support a police chase. Officials said Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) data showed the helicopter left the airport and headed south, turned west, and passed Highway 190.

2:35 a.m. — The report said BRPD decided to stop the chase due to unsafe conditions at 2:35 a.m., including the helicopter. There was reportedly no further communication from the helicopter at that time.

Officials said data shows the helicopter made a low left deviation to the south of Highway 190 and made a left turn. The turn rate increased, according to NTSB, and followed a series of turns and altitude changes.

2:38 a.m. — ADS-B data ended at an altitude of 1,450 feet above ground level, according to NTSB...

Complete article:

https://www.brproud.com/news/l...pd-helicopter-crash/

Prelim only:

https://www.brproud.com/wp-con...023-3_40_30-PM-1.pdf

Did you see that two p.d. officers got shot and killed in Barron Co. WI ?

Between the Marines and their MV-22 Osprey and Kobe and all these damn helicopter deaths being reported, I'm not ever riding in a helicopter or going skiing.

This isn't a joke, they just don't seem safe.