[kellyhound]

A dramatic video captures the challenging helicopter landing at a New Mexico ski resort, where an individual required medical assistance at Ski Apache.

Remarkably, the helicopter pilot emerged unscathed from the difficult landing, avoiding a potentially dire outcome.

Pete Hildebrand, who had initially planned to go zip-lining, unexpectedly became the videographer for this event.

The footage exhibits the helicopter's attempt to land on a hilltop, resulting in a hard impact, a bounce, and a slide down the hill.

According to Hildebrand, everyone present froze in anticipation of what might occur next. He expressed his concern that the helicopter might tip over and collide with its rotors, putting them all in jeopardy.

Fortunately, the helicopter did not overturn, but its damage rendered it incapable of taking off again.

Pilot Neal Lawson reviewed the video and offered insights into where things may have started to go awry.

Lawson observed that during the final approach, the helicopter appeared to be descending more rapidly than typical for that altitude.

The base of Ski Apache is situated at an elevation of over 9,000 feet, and high altitude combined with hot temperatures can lead to thinner air. This results in reduced lift from the blades and a greater need for power to maintain altitude.

According to Lawson, the thin air can also make it challenging to decelerate during landing.

He suggested that the pilot may not have had sufficient power available to generate the required lift for slowing down.

Lawson praised the pilot's actions after the initial hard landing, noting that the pilot skillfully prevented the helicopter from tipping over and crashing.

Federal Aviation Administration officials clarified that the pilot did not collide with a cable but instead took evasive action to avoid one, leading to the difficult landing.

The Lincoln County Sheriff's Office disclosed that the individual in need of the helicopter had fallen from a height of about 15 feet but did not specify the structure or surface from which the fall occurred.

[Hunted]

One lucky dude right there!.... High altitude and fast approach = oops

[William May]

Pretty good save right there!

[durt]

Perfect conditions for 'settling with power'.

Settling with Power is a condition of powered flight where the helicopter settles into its own downwash. The condition may also be referred to as the vortex ring state. Conditions conducive to settling with power are a vertical or nearly vertical descent of at least 300 feet per minute and low forward airspeed.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vortex_ring_state

But, none the less, a nice save!

[Soar]

Thanks KH.

[Caveman5150]

VRS classic....or not coming in with enough to spare.... there was no fuckin cable.... they always have some bullshit story to explain-away their fuck-ups

[Boudreaux]

I admire the helicopter ambulance pilots--frequently landing on highways or parking lots with no markings. At the University of Louisville (KY, USA) hospital, the helicopter pad was small compared to some, and it was next to a tall building, with ordinary city electrical and phone lines on poles around two sides of the pad. Any time I saw one coming in or spooling up to leave, I always stayed to watch. IMO those guys do some great flying.