Guest JeffyG Posted June 25, 2006 Report Share Posted June 25, 2006 http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/64617.html Helicopter pilot jailed for deadly ski lift accident Vienna A pilot whose helicopter dropped heavy equipment on a ski lift in Austria last year, killing nine Germans, was convicted yesterday of criminal negligence and jailed for 15 months. Markus Jaeger, 36, who had denied two charges of causing public endangerment and bodily harm. Six children and three adults were killed on September 5 near Soelden, about 300 miles west of Vienna. Jaeger, who had faced up to five years in prison, told the court in Innsbruck he was "very, very sorry about what happened," but denied he may have pushed a wrong button by mistake, allowing a mechanical hook beneath the helicopter to release a tub weighing more than 1500lb used to transport concrete. The tub hit the cable car below, sending one of its gondolas plunging 100ft on to a rocky mountainside. Other victims were catapulted out of two other gondolas. Seven people survived their injuries.-AP. Vienna A pilot whose helicopter dropped heavy equipment on a ski lift in Austria last year, killing nine Germans, was convicted yesterday of criminal negligence and jailed for 15 months. Markus Jaeger, 36, who had denied two charges of causing public endangerment and bodily harm. Six children and three adults were killed on September 5 near Soelden, about 300 miles west of Vienna. Jaeger, who had faced up to five years in prison, told the court in Innsbruck he was "very, very sorry about what happened," but denied he may have pushed a wrong button by mistake, allowing a mechanical hook beneath the helicopter to release a tub weighing more than 1500lb used to transport concrete. The tub hit the cable car below, sending one of its gondolas plunging 100ft on to a rocky mountainside. Other victims were catapulted out of two other gondolas. Seven people survived their injuries. scary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fenestron Posted June 26, 2006 Report Share Posted June 26, 2006 he may or may not have hit the button by mistake...none of us were there, we just don't know. But he did knowingly carry an external load over people, and for that he puts all the liability on his shoulders. good for the courts to make their decision based on the facts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JeffyG Posted June 26, 2006 Report Share Posted June 26, 2006 jailed for 15months..... most people don't think about consequences like that when they fly.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fenestron Posted June 26, 2006 Report Share Posted June 26, 2006 you should, it's a harsh reality. you're responsibility lies well beyond the confines of the helicopter, and extends as far as the load/parts can reach during an incident. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frequent Flyer Posted June 27, 2006 Report Share Posted June 27, 2006 I kind of feel sorry for the guy. Obviously we never want to see anyone injured in the realm of doing our job, but to be formally charged and sentenced to 15 months on top of the guilt of killing 9 is a pretty tough call. I am sure we have all had instances where loads could do damage if released. Whether you are flying bags across a road or bucketing near houses or even cabins. I think it opens up a whole new can of worms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jammed left Posted June 28, 2006 Report Share Posted June 28, 2006 I guess the lesson there F.F.....is bags dont' go across roads over top of cars, or people...you'd get mad if a juggy hooked up a load, then walked underneath it as you lifted it...why don't we question the guy who picks up the rack and departs over the line truck with people in it.... I agree we have all had those instances where loads could do damage if released...but we must alway try to minimize those risks instead of assuming nothing will happen because nothing has happened so far Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Moore Posted June 30, 2006 Report Share Posted June 30, 2006 The unfortunate truth is that almost certainly the pilot pressed the wrong button but is loathe to admit it. I suspect that just about every dropped load is the result of this. It is too easy for pilots to shrug their shoulders and say 'I don't know what happened.'. Supposedly the new Safety Management System is nonpunitve and perhaps this chap, if he did in fact made a mistake, would have confessed had this system been in place where he flies. How can we learn from the mistakes of others if errors are not admitted? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
407 Driver Posted June 30, 2006 Report Share Posted June 30, 2006 Wrong John, a cargo hook is just a simple electrical/mechanical device and is subject to failures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helilog56 Posted June 30, 2006 Report Share Posted June 30, 2006 The unfortunate truth is that almost certainly the pilot pressed the wrong button but is loathe to admit it. I suspect that just about every dropped load is the result of this. It is too easy for pilots to shrug their shoulders and say 'I don't know what happened.' Yep.....speculation and or assumptions are the mark of ignorance, and/ or lack of knowledge. "Jailhouse lawyer" mentality comes to mind ...... :down: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BAH Posted June 30, 2006 Report Share Posted June 30, 2006 I was wrenching on a medium in 2003 that dropped a net of drums. When I looked at the hook, I found that it had been miss-rigged in the hanger before it left. I take the time now whenever I get on a machine to check the rigging. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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